Princesses
by pickledsouls
Summary: They were not princesses. This was not a fairytale. And this was never meant to happen to them. The Thompson Sisters had only ever had each other, so what happens when they meet their prince charming? R&R please.
1. Once Upon A Time

Summary:

They were not princesses. This was not a fairytale. And this was never meant to happen to them. The Thompson Sisters had only ever had each other, so what happens when they meet their prince charming? R&R please.

Pairings: Kid/Liz (If you squint in later chapters)

Disclaimer: Trust me, if I owned Soul Eater, I wouldn't be writing this.

Chapter One

Once Upon A Time

Liz and Patty Thompson were about as far from ladylike as the streets of Brooklyn they called home were from Buckingham Palace. They weren't polite or courteous; they didn't step daintily or act with finesse. It didn't pay if you were a snob on these streets, you could still get yourself raped or robbed just as easily as anyone else. So they chose to focus instead not on etiquette, but on survival.

Liz valued the power to transform into a weapon much higher than she would've valued manners or the skill to waltz. The sisters weren't the prissy little princes and princesses that they stole from, who had money enough to spare in a stick up. By birth, that life had been beyond reach indefinitely. Instead they'd stolen everything they had. Lived a life of crime that meant no one dared cross their path. And the more she thought about it, Liz decided she was more suited to the role of the dragon or the evil witch within a fairytale.

Not that she'd tell Patty that. She chose to romanticize their life, telling her sister that if they were untouchable, that they were the queens of their own world. It was bitter lies, all fake sweetness, and despite her sister sunny disposition, Liz still hung under a grey cloud of misery. She couldn't face telling that innocent face that they wouldn't be alive if they weren't weapons, and that even though they were they could be dead tomorrow. Their life was a game of cat and mouse, and even if they were the kitties with the sharpest claws, hounds still lurked behind every turn. This life was no fairytale. The alleys no castle. The concrete jungle of the backstreets no magical land.

Eat or be eaten. Sink or swim. Survive and thrive, or end up six feet under with no mourner to your name. That was their reality, not some enchanted kingdom. And Liz had learned to live with that, and even shaped herself to suit.

She remembers telling Patty about Cinderella, about how her life was miserable, but the prince came and swept her off her feet. Despite being practically a slave, she was still beautiful on the inside, and so she won in the end. Liz hated the story herself. Because she knew that wasn't what the real world was like. No prince had come for them yet, and none ever would. Even though Patty was beautiful both inside and out, this was no fairytale, and there would be no happy ending. But she'd tell any story if it would help Patty sleep easier in the cold alleys in which they spent their lives.

Night was the worst for Liz. It was cold and dark, and while she let her sister dream, she had to watch for anybody who'd foolishly try to take advantage of them. They'd had to train each other to spring into weapon form the second they'd woken up. Even though, because of the dangers lurking behind the dumpsters and the decaying buildings, Liz barely slept a wink. Substances kept her eyes open, common and fairly harmless in the great scheme of things. Mostly cannabis, but if the going got tough she resort to much harder drugs. That was when she hated herself, because while she'd let herself become sucked into the filth of Brooklyn, she wanted her sister to end up nothing like she was.

Patty still had a hope. She was young and tough, not letting anything sink too far into her skin and laughing off everything. Liz had fallen victim to the underworld much easier. It seeped into her soul, dragging her into a way of life she had never wanted to be apart of. When they had first been abandoned (by their whore of a mother, the heartless cow) they only mugged 'just to get by, until big sis' found a job'. But now, it wasn't so they could find another life, it was so they could keep living the one they had. The Thompson Sisters were feared, exercising power over the others in this unforgiving city who were hard on luck. Liz loved that authority, that even though they were trash to everyone higher than they were, those prissy snobs were still scared of them. If nothing else, that was what she enjoyed. Despite being rich, with a place to rest their heads, _they_ were scared of them. She relished that feeling of power.

It was sick, it was twisted, but for a while, it was manageable. They were weapons after all, and it gave them enough to stay alive, and even thrive in a pathetic, unlawful way. But every time they added another crime to their growing list of offenses, Liz secretly prayed. To a god she didn't believe in and one that wouldn't listen anyway, because she was going to hell. She pleaded that even though she was a sinner of the lowest variety, Patty was clean. And that their punishments should rest entirely on her own shoulders. Wishful thinking, but like she led Patty to believe in fairytales, she believed in that prayer. She didn't know which was more ridiculous.

It had started out normally. A kid slightly younger than themselves, but clearly rolling in money nevertheless. He was an easy target for their food money for the day; if they were lucky, even enough for a night in a Motel. Patty warped into a gun and Liz had walked calmly, in a practiced fashion towards their new target. Frankly, even from afar she could see he was a bit odd looking, and definitely not from around Brooklyn. He walked too confidently, held his head too high. As she stalked closer she could see he was almost completely black and white, and his tailored suit matched symmetrically, save for the weird white stripes on half his head. He was certainly striking. But money was money, and they needed cash now. Odd looking or not.

Liz was close enough to see his eyes now, and he'd noticed her. She could have listened to her gut feeling, and turned back while she still could, but she was determined. Even though nervousness had knotted through her stomach, and she was far too uneasy for a standard mugging. Something was different about this boy, like he wasn't even from this world, let alone from Brooklyn. But the Thompson Sisters never backed down.

His eyes stood out the most from his practically monochrome form. Sharp, analytical, and a jarring shade of golden. They held too much knowledge, like he was aware of something that was right over her head. No one had looked at the Devils of Brooklyn like that, ever. And when his lips turned to a smile, despite it being seemingly friendly, it sent shivers down her spine. He was quite literally black and white in appearance, but it didn't take a genius to gather that there was something much more to this kid. And even though Liz was possibly the sharpest when it came to street smarts, she had barely attended school for a year in total.

He stopped, hands in his pockets, with a completely straight face. Most people they'd approached were terrified at this point. He was too calm, too collected. It felt like he was staring right through them. Beneath their skin and into their souls. She heard that their were ones who could do that, from the academy. The one for all the privileged kids. Where, as weapons, they could have been in a year or two. Like hell they would be though. Especially not if the students were like this.

Liz took a long, drawn puff on her joint (she'd never let Patty lay a finger on her drugs. 'Hypocritical bitch' she'd scolded herself) to sooth her now frayed nerves. But she wasn't backing down. The smoke calmed her, boosting the buzz she was getting off of it. Dragging her that little bit farther into being the kind of person she hated. Nah, this boy was full of it. They were the Devils of Brooklyn for crying out loud, they could handle a runt like this.

The pair was face to face now. Those eyes were even more piercing up close. Was he a weapon too? She didn't think so, he would've transformed by now. But she didn't find the stories about looking into souls so ridiculous anymore.

He still wasn't scared. She should change that. Liz shoved him in the left shoulder, hard, but he seemed to just turn against the wall where the movement directed him rather than have been thrown there. And he still looked unfazed. Damn kid. Liz thrust Patty under his chin, laying her other hand on the wall beside his head and snarling. "Give us everything ya' got and we don't blow your brains out." Simple and to the point. This shouldn't take too long.

He raised an eyebrow. There was no fear, and he almost looked bored. How dare him! There was no one in Brooklyn who wasn't scared of the Thompson Sisters! He glanced down at Patty, whose face flashed in the glinting metal, sticking her tongue out. The raspberry she blew at him sounded metallic from the gun. Smiling, like he had his own little private joke, he looked back at Liz. "So you are the Devils of Brooklyn. It's a pleasure to meet you." He said their title with a hint of sarcasm. Not with the fear they were used to hearing it associated with.

She shoved the barrel harder against his throat. Didn't even flinch. This boy was getting to her now. "Listen here brat." She started, coating her voice with as much malice as she could. "It ain't your 'pleasure' to meet us two in an alley. You clearly know us, which is super, because I don't have to explain what will happen if you don't give us your cash." Liz blew smoke in his face, a thick smog of cheap drugs. His expression contorted to one of disgust. It was only a rare moment of victory however, as it quickly moved back to rich self confidence. "That's a filthy habit you have."

Alright, now she was angry. "Just who do you think you are, stripes!?" She narrowed her eyes and growled. To her surprise, he winced slightly at the stripes comment. But he kept a level voice, still sounding completely disinterested in her threats. "I'm a Shinigami. And I have come here to-" He was cut off mid sentence, however, as a long, clawed finger caught his weight and dragged him from her.

Liz could have sworn that despite the huge, leering monster now slashing his tongue at him, the boy had rolled his eyes in an annoyance as he was swept away. And suddenly, as she backed away to see the size of that thing, whatever the hell it was, she realized that kid was about as scary as a puppy in comparison.

She stood, frozen in place, and screamed.


	2. In Shining Armour

**A/N: Thanks to reviewers, followers and fav'ers! I will try and update this as much as possible, but exams are coming up. Hopefully a new chapter will be posted every five or so days.**  
**This story isn't currently beta'd, so if you're interested in doing so then PLEASE tell me!**

**Disclaimer- I still don't own Soul Eater.**

**Chapter Two**

**In Shining Armour**

Kishin eggs were becoming an increasingly annoying race. Usually, with the loss of their heart, and an insatiable hunger for human souls, they became stupider and less coordinated. There was only ever the very rare exception. But times have changed, and with the steady increase of homeless or weak humans, the eggs have become smarter in their hunting habits. Now they actively sought out overpopulated areas, preying on souls with no chance of fighting back. It meant they became stronger faster, and could get a large intake of power in very short amounts of time. With very little effort put in. Miesters could still take them out relatively efficiently, but they had to be much smarter about it.

Shibusen was trapped in a never ending arms race with their enemies. They were constantly getting slyer, more cunning, and had much more drive to succeed. Apparently, though none he'd encountered had the ability, Kid heard powerful witches could now use a magic called soul protect to hide in plain sight. They were developing, growing in power, and with their threats as well as the increase in demon eggs, Shibusen was under constant pressure to produce great miester and weapon pairs to fight.

Academy matters didn't particularly involve Kid, however. His father had said his focus should be on growing. But, as of recently, he'd personally taken it upon himself to find a weapon. As a reaper he didn't need to train them. Death Scythes were traditionally created by students, not the reaper themselves. But his own, taken from scratch and shaped according to his own specifications, would be of great benefit to him.

Every weapon that was suggested to him however would leave him completely unbalanced, and he knew he couldn't fight that way. It would be totally asymmetrical, which was definitely not happening. So Kid would have to find a way to get around that, find a weapon that would allow him to stay balanced on the left and right. As his father had said, it was at his age that humans were looking for partners. And no weapon in their right mind would pass up the chance to work with Lord Death's son.

Those were the two reasons he'd come to Brooklyn. Firstly, there was a group of kishin eggs ripe and ready to hatch in the area he'd been assigned for this mission. They would be taken out easily, and using his already high soul perception it wouldn't be too hard to find them. Kid really wanted to get them out if the way quickly, because the second reason he'd come to Brooklyn interested him far more.

His father had told him of the 'Devils of Brooklyn'. Apparently, they were a pair of weapons who were straying to the path of the kishin. They were probably young and homeless. Local authorities didn't have the power to incarcerate them, as most left weapons to Shibusen's jurisdiction. So he'd been asked to find them in his travels as well. And if need be, take their souls.

But after some research, eliminating the pair was the last thing on his mind. According to witnesses of their crimes, these two were identical in their weapon form; sisters who could transform into twin pistols. That little detail was certainly of interest to him. Granted, it could be false information. Identical weapons, even if they were siblings, were few and far between. But the idea of it was too tempting to pass up. Even if it did increase the amount of time he'd already be spending in Brooklyn's back alleys. To have survived so long in the in such a risky place, especially as young girls, they would have had to have been tactful and intelligent to a certain extent. He theorized that with a bit of work, they'd make fine Death Scythes, if their reputation was anything to go off.

In two days he'd eliminated four of his five targets. They were two star enemies by Shibusen ratings, but he'd taken them out with ease. Not a problem there. Mentally mapping out the network of back alleys had been of more help to him than his soul perception, surprisingly enough. The condensed amount of people in this area made it tricky to pick out the eggs.

But to his frustration, he was yet to encounter the Thompson Sisters. Even after walking through these streets looking exactly like one who would be a prime target for the girls. A shame, but he could devote his full attention to looking for them after the last egg was found.

And Kid was starting to close in. He had sensed a group of souls disappear in one of the more isolated networks of alleys, one hard to get to on foot. Probably a street gang or a drug trade, and the last kishin had dropped in to make a meal of them. That seemed to be the tactic of this new wave of Brooklyn eggs, find a weak group and take all the souls at one time. It was a destructive method, but one that made them easy to find if a miester was good enough.

Despite the inconvenience of using Beelzebub in the cramped network of streets, there was no quicker method into the alley than from above. Besides, it gave him a much needed breath of fresh air, a welcome change from the stale scent of drugs and body odour. As well as more diverse range of smells that Kid preferred not to think about. He hovered for a bit, enjoying the breeze on his face. Winter made it difficult for the homeless to survive, which made places like these a perfect area for a kishin to grab a snack. Still, this area got off pretty lucky in the grand scheme. He'd estimated that at least thirty were dead, which wasn't a great number, but it could have been much worse for five eggs on the loose.

Much to his annoyance, by the time he'd landed there was no kishin egg in sight. To have evaded him for this long, he could tell the last of his targets was smarter than the rest. So it shouldn't have been much of a surprise. Still, he wanted to kill it, find these far too elusive sisters, and get home before the disorder in these streets made him anymore uncomfortable than he already was. It was impossibly distracting, and interfered with his soul perception further than the streets already had.

His eyes fell closed as he focused in on the souls in the area, searching specifically for that last kishin egg. The strength of it made it an easy find even with the chaos around him. The disorder here was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. A very annoying feature of this all consuming city. About three blocks away now, but no longer moving, he found the last of the five targets. Probably made its dinner takeaway, knowing it would be safer to eat away from the scene.

He moved onwards on foot towards its position. If he was lucky, he would be able to take it out before it had a chance to fight back. That was the method he'd used to take down two of the others, the rest of them putting up a bit more of a fight. Despite this, the more intelligent ones were also weaker, choosing to hide and pick the souls they would take carefully. Most kishin developed to either have intelligence or strength, sacrificing one for the other. Only very skilled eggs kept both in large amounts and those were the ones who ended up three star targets.

Kid's left hand wandered to his collar, where one of the more brutal and less intelligent had left a gash. It wasn't very deep fortunately, but that wouldn't have been the problem even if it was. The least the damn thing could have done would have been to slash the other side as well. Kid had come close to cutting the other shoulder himself, but fortunately Brooklyn's distractions carried some benefits. Thanks to his reaper body it had pretty much healed now, with only a faint red line left in its place. But it still irked him. This city was definitely not a place he planned on coming back to. If all went to plan, he'd be out of here tonight.

The thought that after he'd finished off the last of the Kishin he could finally devote his attention to those twin pistols gave him some comfort. They were the main reason he'd taken on this mission in the first place, after all. Pistols, huh? Yeah, he could work with that. The symmetry of having one in the left and right hand would work much better than a single scythe or blade. Or any of the other weapons his father had suggested for that matter. That is, if they weren't already past the point of no return and had started devouring human souls. Then, perfect symmetry or not, he'd have to kill them. It would be such a shame too.

He heard footsteps in front of him, which was quite startling. His soul perception was so focused on the Kishin soul, which was now moving slowly, he'd failed to notice two human souls right in front of him. 'That mistake could have been fatal.' He noted to himself, opening his eyes. 'And I miscalculated. Those souls are human, but they are also weapons.' He stopped, eyeing the girl walking towards him, a sneer on her face and a pistol in her grasp. 'Well girls, your timing is either impeccable or horrendous. I can't quite decide which.'

It was better for them to feel they had control of the situation. Their souls were a pure blue, nothing like the crimson red of a Kishin. So he could explore the possibility of making them his weapons. He knew it was a long shot, but definitely worth an attempt. So, he played along, letting her shove him against the wall, listened calmly to her threats.

The egg he'd been hunting earlier was heading back this way. It must have heard this girl, clearly the older sister, threatening him for cash. Watching her now, for the first time during the mission, he wondered if they would be too much. This girl was boisterous, rude, and off herself on some illegal substance. From her appearance, they looked perfect candidates to have already started hunting human souls. But they were far from it. The older one's soul was a very odd colour; he couldn't remember seeing one like it before. But it was no where near the blood red of an egg's soul. And as for the younger, who'd just poked his tongue out at him, her soul was as bright blue as any good hearted human.

He smiled to himself. They certainly had potential. The pistol was clearly capable of becoming a very powerful weapon in time, and if her sister was as identical as the reports had claimed, then the same applied. They could change, but the older would take a lot to convince. He could tell that much already. Most criminals had given him a wide berth in time he'd been here, not willing to take him on just from the look of him. But this girl, she was stubborn. She did not want to be beaten. Those were attributes that could help her if she was willing to come with him.

Their conversation, which was really just her spitting threats and himself trying to get a word in, went on until he finally had a chance to tell them who he was. "I'm a Shinigami," He started. "And I have come here to-" He felt a claw on his hip, having just enough time to roll his eyes and see the girl's horrified expression before being swept into the Kishin egg's grasp.

This one was ugly. Its hands and head were far too big for its body, which was scaled a deep green. The kishin egg was lizard like in appearance, with beady black eyes and large talons on three bony fingers. They were stained with blood, clearly from its recent kill. While holding him tightly in one hand, its barbed tail wound around to press against his stomach. With that information, as well as what he'd learnt from the others, he'd already had a pretty good idea of how it planned to fight. Grab with its hands, stab with tail. On top of that, it opened its mouth widely, a long tongue falling out to lick sloppily at its canines. Raised up like this, it was twice his size at least.

The girl, now behind him, screamed.

"You are truly disgusting." He said lowly. It grinned widely back at him. Clearly, in the loss of its heart, the kishin had no ability to speak anymore. He was glad of that. Nothing intelligent could have been learnt from it anyway. The monster hissed instead, the spike on its tail pressing against Kid's stomach.

Now it was time to move. Lifting his legs, he pushed down hard on the beast's lower lip, applying a wave of pressure against it. A loud crack bounced off the tight alley walls, the kishin howling in pain as its grip loosened. The bones in its jaw crunched together as they were pulled out of place. Using the now dislocated jaw for leverage, he kept holding down until its talons had relaxed completely. Pushing off, he had enough force to completely free himself, somersault once, and land just in front of the girl.

"What is that? What the fuck just happened?!" She screamed, stumbling backwards. Simply gaping wide eyed and clearly terrified, at the Kishin. "Mind your mouth." He grunted, leaping aside as its tail slammed into the concrete, where he'd been standing moments ago. It recovered too quickly. That wasn't good. He had hoped he'd bought himself some time. Vaguely, he could hear the sister currently in weapon form giggling. Between gasps for air she managed to choke out a few words. "L-look at it Sis!" More fits of laughter. "It's so stupid looking, it's dribbling all over the place!" She certainly was an odd one. But she was right. The dislocation meant the egg's mouth dangled open, thick globs of saliva dripping onto the street. "Patty!" The older choked, gawking at the pistol in her hand. "This isn't funny!"

The Kishin didn't seem to bother with them though. Its attention was focused on Kid. Tail still dug into the ground, it turned its whole body to take another stab at him. He slid backward, avoiding the swoop, but pieces of concrete flew in all directions. This could get messy. And that girl was just standing there. "Go. Get out of here." He turned and yelled, debris now separating them. "I'll find you both later."

She didn't hesitate. Sparing one last look at the Kishin, then at Kid, she sprinted away. All the way he could still here the youngest, Patty her name seemed to be, laughing at the top of her lungs.

Alright, now he could focus on the egg. It had gone down onto all fours, facing him once again. Tongue thrashing wildly in its open mouth, a low hiss in its throat. Pathetically attempting to try and back him into the corner, where most of the humans it would have faced surrendered to. Instead he ran straight towards it, jumping over a swing of its claws in the process, kicking up against its chin. The jaw was now its weak spot, used right he could end this quickly. A useful advantage, because those scales would have been tough to penetrate. Unfortunately, another swipe was more difficult to jump away from, and he was thrown back against the wall.

Groaning, Kid landed back on his feet, vision slightly blurred. The longer this fight went on, the better for the egg. So he had to end this quickly. There was something he could do for that to happen. He wasn't practiced at it, and it was risky. But all things going right, this would he over in one blow. If he didn't pull it off however, he'd be left wide open. There was no time left to consider. The kishin had abandoned sweeping attacks now, its arm raised, talons fully extended. Planning to end this in one blow too, it seemed. Kid grit his teeth, and closed his eyes.

The egg thrust its hand forward, slicing through the air. Its three fingers were closed so that its claws made one razor sharp point. The talons lurched forward with full force towards Kid. Hissing loudly, it hit nothing but the concrete, a whip of wind in place of where he'd been a moment ago. Gravel flew in all directions, along with a cloud of dust. There was only a beat in which the kishin could grunt in confusion before it felt the heel of a palm underneath his throat. And with a pulse, its body swirled into spiralling ribbons of green and black. There was barely enough time for a choked screech to escape its throat.

Kid panted. He'd only teleported a metre or two, but it was a skill he'd only learn recently. And one that took a lot of power to complete. Still, every time he used it he got better. Fighting enemies like this one proved good practice. That kishin was very tactful, but aside from its tough scales it had been very weak. Even more so than the others he'd faced. The ribbons evaporated into the air in front of him, a satisfying popping sound bouncing off the walls. Dissipating completely, all that was left of the kishin was a single glowing red soul.

"Collect." He murmured, raising his hand. The soul's shine dimmed briefly. It then sparked, bright white flames lapping at it. Gradually burning smaller, and eventually it had evaporated into thin air completely. That was it. The last kishin soul he'd had to retrieve on this mission. Kid sighed, clicking a kink in his neck. 'Now,' He thought. 'It's time to find those sisters.'

His eyes fell closed, and he cast out his soul perception.

**A/N: Yeah. We'll be switching between POVs. You get some Kid this chapter! I'll be using a mix of both Japanese and English terminology (e.g Shibusen over DWMA, Miester over Technician), so I'm sorry if you get a bit confused. I'm just using the ones I feel comfortable writing with. Also, excuse the crappy writing in the fighting bit. I hate writing fight scenes, but I want to use this story as a chance to get better.**  
**This story will end up being about nine chapters, but it could be longer if there's enough interest.**  
**And remember, every time I get a review, Maka will punch Asura in the face. The more you guys like the story, the more I'll update!**


	3. The Castle

**A/N: Thanks again to all those who read, double my love to the reviewers. You make my day, I'm so glad you're all enjoying my little story.**  
**New chapter! Sorry it's taking a bit longer to update, exams are a pain. I decided to split my plan for this chapter into two pieces. I felt it was less cluttered and gave me a bit more time for explanations and the like. I'm still not a big fan of this though. It just sorta, fell flat for me. Please stick around, I promise the next one will be better!**  
**Anyway, time for me to stop babbling, onwards to chapter three!**

**Chapter Three**

**The Castle**

"Did ya see that sis? It was so cool!" Patty bounced around her sister, arms outstretched, spinning in circles. Occasionally she'd jump onto a garbage can and mimic the creature from earlier, or kick through the air like the boy had done. Liz didn't share the energy. Even though her sister's delight was ridiculously contagious. She was doubled over, clutching her stomach and gasping for breath after the sprint, four blocks of running faster than she ever had. Away from that _thing_, and away from that, well, he can't have been human. 'Just what was he?' Liz thought silently, coughing a few times and standing back up to full height.

The Thompson Sisters never ran away. But they'd also never been faced with an enemy like that before. Liz felt this was a suitable exception. She'd never been one that dealt well with... Creepy things. The mere thought made her shudder.

Now that she'd caught her breath, Liz noticed she's lost her joint somewhere along the way too. On top of everything else that had happened. 'Goddamnit. That shit's expensive...' Pulling at the ragged fake fur on her jumper nervously, she searched her pockets. She only found about enough for another two fixes. 'And I've got basically nothing. Life's being a real bitch at the moment.' She chewed on her lip, shrugging her loose sleeve back up onto her arm.

Patty kept on babbling. "How'd he do that, sis? Cause that monster was like 'RAAAWR', and he was like 'Ha!'" She mimicked karate fighting, throwing punches and kicks. As well as pulling a few scary monster poses, baring her teeth and holding her hands above her head like claws. She jumped around until she'd burst into an uncontrollable fit of giggles. "And did ya' see the stripes in his hair?" More high pitched laughter echoed of the alley walls, leaving her gasping. She continued to try and talk. "They were pretty funny lookin' huh?!"

"Yeah, I s'pose so." Liz answered half heartedly. She was still lost in her own head, pondering her way through a ridiculous amount of questions. 'Was he from the academy? Was he actually serious about being a Shinigami? How in the hell did he get out of that thing's claws?' She looked at her hand, squeezing it as if holding a miniature version of the boy. 'There's no way. That was insane...'

And as for that monster, the less time she spent thinking about it the better. There was no doubt in her mind that they could have put up a fight if it had attacked them. But she didn't think they'd be the ones walking away from a scuffle with it. She heard that a few groups had gone missing recently, but that wasn't exactly odd here. Still, maybe they should be a little more cautious. Better safe than sorry, right?

Suddenly, the screeching delight of her little sister silenced, and she turned to look at the shorter girl. Patty saw her staring, and bounced to her, with only a touch less of her vivacious energy. When the younger was in this sudden state of silence, there was one of two things that could happen. Option A, a deep, philosophical insight, or Option B, something completely and utterly nonsensical. B was the more popular choice.

Patty gripped tightly to her sister's elbow, eyes wide. "Hey sis'," Her voice was low and whispery. "D'ya think that's him? Could it really be?" Liz raised an eyebrow. "What on earth are you talking about now, Patty?"

The younger shook her hair furiously, greasy blond bangs swishing over her forehead. A very light giggle escaped from her lips. "Who d'ya think? Our prince charming silly! You said that princes dressed in fancy clothes and stuff, and looked out for the princesses." She tucked her hands under her chin, looking off into dreamland. "And were all handsome and stuff. He looked like a prince to me, sis! He must be it! Like Cinderella's, remember?"

Liz smiled at her sister. "Of course Patty, whatever you say."

In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to find that boy and punch him into last week. She didn't even know what about making her little sister happy made her loathe him so much. Why was Patty so excited all of a sudden? How dare he build her hopes up like this! The nerve of that filthy rich kid...

Patty swirled and curtsied now, pretending to dance with an imaginary partner. "D'ya think he can dance? All princes dance!" She started to laugh hysterically. "What if he used to be a frog? Wouldn't that be funny?" She gripped her stomach, croaking like a toad. She was going to faint from lack of oxygen if she wasn't careful.

Liz sighed. "Hey Patty..." She put a hand on her shoulder, stopping the exaggerated copy of a waltz she was now reciting. All while jumping like a frog too. It was quite a display. "Y'know, gals like us, we don't need no prince, right?" Patty stopped, looking at her sister with a confused pout. "But I though you said we were princesses, sis. We just had to wait for a prince, and now he's here!"

Liz shook her head. "But we're special princesses. That's why we can turn into guns. We can look out for ourselves, yeah? Who needs a prince when I've got my little sister?" She patted her on the head, but Patty still frowned a little bit in disappointment. Her voice was as bright as usual, though. "Yeah sis' I guess you're right!" Suddenly, any sign of anything less than her usual brightness was wiped from her expression. Patty's arms wrapped around Liz's waist, pulling her into a tight hug. "I only need my big sister, even if we don't get a big fancy house or lots of pretty dresses!"

Liz wrapped an arm around her. "Too right Patty." She'd forget about him eventually. Give it a bit if time and her short attention span would kick in. But still, Liz felt in the pit of her stomach that something wasn't quite right. Something nagged at the back of her head, like the instinct to get away from their earlier target as she was approaching him. That boy, or Shinigami, or whatever the hell he was supposed to be called, he said he'd find them. What the hell was that supposed to mean? It had started to give her a headache, all this thoughts that looped over and around each other.

And after all that they didn't even have a single cent. It was very rare for them to leave empty handed, unless the target genuinely didn't have anything. But they'd become good at picking the rich ones. It was a skill you got pretty talented at after putting it into practice almost every day of your life. Usually, they were rich enough that their money had gone to their head, and so stupid enough to walk through an alley alone. Sometimes they got a tourist, but a gun pointed at your head is synonymous in any language. 'It's an art.' Liz's dealer had told her when they first realized how efficient thievery was for getting a quick buck. 'Really, people like us, we got to have brains to live in places like this, neh?'

Liz rubbed her eyes. It had been a day far too long for her liking. "C'mon Patty." She swept her sisters hair off her face. "Let's go home."

The 'home' in question wasn't much. In fact, no one who was in their right mind would consider it a suitable place for two young ladies to live. But they weren't ordinary, and they sure as hell weren't ladylike. They hopped from place to place; settling in wherever could keep a roof over their head. Sometimes they could scrape together enough for a cheap motel, but that was a rare luxury. They slept rough, but not nearly as much as some others.

'Bet that spoiled brat has never known a hard night in his life.' Liz grumbled silently to herself. Right now, the pair was sleeping in an abandoned warehouse, shut down after the company's products were found to have had suspicious substances in their packaging. She didn't need to know more than that to set up a place to live.

It was damp, cold, and it smelt questionable. The walls were sturdy though, and it was huge. In fact, on the list of places they'd slept, this was a pretty high up there. They'd seen much, much worse. When they'd first found it, the cardboard boxes inside made perfect makeshift mattresses, and by rearranging them into a corner they had their own little place to escape from the elements. Liz hoped that they would be able to stay there for quite a bit longer, if they were forced to move out now there was no where to go. Mind you, that had been the case in the past, and they'd managed to survive somehow. 'Story of my life.' Liz thought. 'Somehow.'

Patty's spirits were still high the whole way back. She stepped with a spring, babbling on about princes and fairytales and mythical creatures. Liz wasn't really listening. In fact, she'd worked herself into a bit of worry. They had been in the same place for a month now. That was a long time for them. There were people that they'd pissed off, and usually they'd sniff them out if their place of residence. They were stupid enough to come after them, but it wasn't nice to be caught in your sleep. Even if you're a pair of weapons. 'We should really be moving on...' She thought, as they approached the dock by which the warehouse was located.

It didn't stand out much, just your average old run down building. Generic in Brooklyn, you either stood like a skyscraper or you'd end up a run down old shack. The doors were large and wooden, and groaned like they were a hundred years older than actuality. Nothing special, but a damn lot better than where most if Brooklyn's homeless slept. The only ones who knew where they were wouldn't be able to touch them anyway.

She pulled open the wooden doors, and immediately she knew something was wrong. Once again, for the second time that day, her sixth sense had been right. A gun had cocked. No, not one. Three? Seven? Ten? She sighed inwardly. _These guys…_

It wasn't just officials that wanted their heads. From common street gangs to sophisticated operations, their names were the tip of any hit list. Of course, the pair of them used to be wanted for other reasons. Weapons would be a valuable asset for any criminal group. After they'd first been abandoned, they got a lot of offers. But Liz was smart. If nothing else, she knew what had to be done to survive.

The Thompson Sisters had robbed a small group blind about a year ago, after fooling them into thinking that they would ever be apart of something so disgusting. Like she'd told them quite rudely afterwards, "We work together, and we work alone, mother fuckers." Quite eloquent, she thought. Quotes like that belonged in action movies. After that, they'd made a name for themselves. No one dared cross them unless they were incredibly stupid.

This was a different group, but they were just as full of it. They were trying so hard to look professional; it was pathetic if you knew not to fear them. That was something Liz was sure of. Still, they were armed, so this would take some tact. "C'mon Patty." She whispered to the younger, who'd already twisted her delighted smile into a deadly grin. "Let's show 'em who owns the place."

Liz pushed the doors open wide, the light from the snarling moon sinking into the corners of the wide space inside. A quick headcount confirmed her guess. There were twelve of them in total, all cheap suits and even cheaper guns. Some of them were probably younger than themselves. Hired to do a job they couldn't complete. Hell, someone had probably given them this job to get rid of them. 'Alright then. We'll do your dirty work.'

This was something Patty could handle. Liz took care of the talk, so she handled most of the robberies. But her sister was a more 'shoot now ask questions later' kind of girl. And more than a little trigger happy. Liz transformed in a flash of pink light, and Patty snatched a hold of her. Already, she was laughing a little sinisterly. "Who's first?" She giggled.

Liz hated that they had to do this. But it was to shoot or be shot. You gotta do what ya' gotta do, right? Still, she said her little prayer as the men raised their guns. No doubt startled by the transformation already, this wouldn't take long.

Liz had no words for what happened next.

In weapon form it was hard enough to see as is, but suddenly there were cracks, and yells, bangs and screams. Something, or rather some_one_, was moving almost too properly watch. A few shots were fired, but none even got close. Some tried to run. 'I knew they were amateur.' Liz though briefly, as all who frantically tried to get away were disabled. It was quite spectacular, they'd dropped like flies. All of them were out like a light before they even hit the ground.

This new arrival, this was something else. But then, something inside her head clicked into place. "No. Freaking. Way." She gritted her teeth and muttered lowly.

Then they were all piled up, all twelve of them, in a groaning heap. Organized neatly one on top of the other. She would have been impressed if she wasn't dreading what happened next.

And sure enough, he was right on top, in the very center. Hands in his pockets, that same deadpan expression on his face that they'd seen earlier. Save for the small spark of a smile playing over his lips. Patty squealed in delight. Liz was not nearly as excited.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!"

**A/N: I'm debating on making this properly a KidLiz, or just leaving it platonic. Review and leave your thoughts! Honestly, it can go either way at this point, I'd enjoy writing either. **  
**Oh, and does anyone have any idea for Liz's dealer's name? Open to suggestions! He might be popping back up in the future... (Oh, the wonders of foreshadowing~)**


	4. A Proposal

**A/N: Hello again! This is Liz's POV. I was planning to alternate between her and Kid, but it didn't quite work the way I wanted it to. Sorry 'bout that. Kid'll come back in the next chapter, probably. Oh, and thanks for the ideas for the name! I'll take 'em into consideration :)**  
**Okay, time for me to stop rambling. Let's dive right in.**

**Chapter Four**

**A Proposal**

Liz gawked, staring open mouthed at the boy. There was no way. She couldn't even believe her own eyes. And yet, there he stood. Swooping in, taking down twelve men in about ten seconds, and just standing there. Like that wasn't even something beyond belief. Like it happened everyday. She wanted so badly to storm up there, and slap him into the real world. Because clearly, he had no idea how it worked. Clearly, he lived on another planet to the one she was on. You don't _do_ things like that. You can't just beat up that many armed men and act as if nothing's happened.

Patty didn't share her fuming. She was nothing short of ecstatic, jumping up and down and laughing in delight. "I told ya' sis! I told you!" Her eyes were full of stars as she looked up at the boy, like he was some sort of messiah. Which, in a way, Liz supposed he kind of was. And it made her hate him that little bit more.

A bright pink light flashed, briefly giving the dim warehouse a rosy hue. Liz transformed back into a human. Not a second later was she waving her arms in disbelief. She didn't even know what she was going to say, but her mouth started to speak on it's own. "What? How? You again?" It was hard to try and even form a coherent sentence. Patty, of course, found this hilarious. "You can't even talk! See how cool that was?" Her attention was now fixated on the boy, who watched amused as the display unfolded. "You're so awesome that even my big sis is speechless!"

"Patty!" Liz blurted, grabbing onto her sister's elbow. "Don't talk to him!" She didn't even no why not. It felt like the world around her had kept moving, but she was stuck in the past still trying to sort everything out. Patty stopped and looked at Liz, a confused expression on her face. "But why sis?"

The boy chose this moment to chime in. "You don't need to be afraid." He was relaxed, and he didn't look at all like he'd just taken down twelve armed men. She didn't think he'd even acknowledged the fact he was now standing on them as odd. But despite how easily he could've killed them if he wanted to, Liz still wasn't going to let a comment like that slide. "As if we'd be afraid of you, ya' damn brat!" She took a few steps closer, placing her hands on her hips defiantly. "Who the fuck are you anyway?"

His brow furrowed, and he looked at her like a child would be looked upon by an exasperated mother. Liz hated it. They'd barely known each other five minutes and already he looked down on them. Except unlike the rich snobs they'd been shunned by, he wasn't afraid. "Must you use such foul language? If you'll give me the chance, I'll explain."

Patty tried to bounce right up to him, but Liz took hold of her wrist and pulled her back. She was too obsessed with him to even notice. "No, I already know who you are! You're a prince, aren't ya? That's why you're all fancy and stuff!" Liz hushed her quickly.

The boy smiled. He didn't look at Patty the way he looked at Liz. When he saw her, he looked hopeful, like he already knew that she wouldn't be touched by the filth of Brooklyn's underworld. He looked at her like he could see her soul was clean, pure and untouchable in it's innocence. The same couldn't be said for Liz. He already saw how weak she was. How pain, both received and caused, echoed through her blackened soul. That pissed her of even more, because he had no clue what her life was like. He had no right to pass judgement on her. "Like I tried to say before, I am a Shinigami. My name is Death the Kid, and I've come here from Death City. May I ask your names?"

Liz bit her gum. After seeing what he just did, she shouldn't doubt how genuine he was. And coming from Death City meant he must have been an academy student. Still, he wanted information, which gave her a small bit of power to work with. "We'll tell you our names when you tell us what yours is really. And when you can prove what you're saying." Surely a name like Death the Kid was an alias. Not even the worst parent would stick their child with that.

He blinked, puzzled by her comment. "I assure you, it's my real name. I am Lord Death's son."

No. Freaking. Way. _The_ Lord Death? Liz didn't know much, but from what she'd heard no one in their right mind would take him on. He was a god on earth. You'd have to be the real deal to claim something like that so confidently. She wondered, could he really be a god too? That beats a prince by a mile. "Alright, Death the Kid. I'm Liz, and this here's Patty." She said his name with a tinge of cynicism. Patty smiled, waving furiously. "It's nice to meet ya, mister!"

"Please, call me Kid." He smiled politely. It made Liz sick. He was clearly a boy who'd never known a day short of food or money. Probably had more cash than he knew what to do with. 'Son of the Grim Reaper' was quite a title to have, and he knew what power it held. Hell, he wasn't even human. Of course he was going to be privileged, a boy blessed by birth with power and strength. It what he was saying was truth. He could just be spinning a web of pretty, pretty lies to trap them both. She wouldn't be caught, that much she knew.

"Okay, Kid. Shinigami boy. What do you want?" She narrowed her eyes at him, crossing her arms. Why was a god here for them? As irritated as she was, she had to admit that she was curious.

"Well, I actually have a proposal I'd like you to hear." He sounded cautious. Like he was scared of their refusal. Liz noted this. "Go on."

"I came to Brooklyn for two reasons. The first, eliminating Kishin eggs like the one you saw earlier." Liz shuddered at the memory. That thing was hideous. She didn't know what Kishin were, really. From what she'd heard, they were created after someone started to devour human souls. She didn't really understand, and it wasn't really much to do with her anyway. Leave that stuff to the special academy students. "The second to find the Devils of Brooklyn. I've heard of your infamy and beauty, as well as your ability to transform into matching weapons." His eyes lit up as he said this, like a child thinking of their christmas presents. Liz scoffed, screwing her nose up. "Yeah, what's it to you, Kid?"

He took a breath. "You are pistols. Twin pistols, might I add. As a reaper, I myself am a meister." He raised his hand to them invitingly. "Do you see the connection? I want to create a world of perfect balance, with you two as my right and left hands."

Yeah right. As if a reaper would ever look specifically for a pair of criminals to make his weapons. He would have a lavish partner, some super powerful blade or scythe. Not two pistols who'd grown up on the streets, stealing everything they owned. Patty wasn't as concerned about that detail. She clapped her hands, jumping up and down. "I knew it! I totally knew it! Ya hear that sis? Kid's gonna take us away to be his weapons!" Liz put her hand on her sister's shoulder, stopping the outburst of excitement. Turning sharply, she stared him down. "You expect me to believe that? Why would you choose us? You could have any weapon you wanted if you're a reaper."

He nodded in agreement. "You're correct. But any other singular weapon would make me asymmetrical." He held up his hands on each side like scales. "I can't fight if I'm unbalanced. That's why I need you two. You're absolutely perfect!" Palms open, both arms outstretched, he marveled at them both like they were pieces of fine art. Asymmetry? This guy was a Shinigami, and he was concerned about something like that?

"So what are you saying exactly?" She chose her words carefully. If she wasn't cautious, she could fall into one of his traps. There was a lot of doubt sitting in her mind. Was he really just a freak that needed symmetry? But if she played her cards just right, if she could beat him, they could wring this boy, dry. They could get enough out if him to last a very long time. Maybe even enough for an apartment. That truly would be a luxury. She'd have to tread wearily, though. He could kill them, even if it wasn't likely, it was possible if they pissed him off.

"Food. A comfortable home. Everything you need." He walked down from the pile of men, closer towered the pair. "I can offer you all this. If you'll be my weapons." He held his hand out once again, and Patty reached for it eagerly. She looked up at him, even if they were both the same height. Her eyes were filled with delight and admiration.

Liz swatted her hand. "I'm sorry Kid, but rich gods don't just swoop down and take in girls like us. That's not how the real world works."

He sighed. But he never once avoided her gaze, never showed a sign that he was lying. "Please, Liz. Patty. Consider my offer carefully. I know you both realize that anything is better than here." Damn. Kid was good at making a point. He was right, of course. "And trust me when I say my offer is genuine. You as weapons hold much potential because of your ability to shoot compressed wavelength. It means your power, in the right hands, is almost limitless." Liz had no idea what he was talking about with the whole wavelength thing, but she understood completely the part about limitless power.

"You'll have to learn a lot, but I'm willing to teach you. I know you may not understand completely, but if at any point you decide to terminate our partnership I won't stop you from leaving. You have nothing to lose."

And really, he was right. Nothing to lose, but absolutely everything to gain. Just humor this obsessive freak for little while, play along for a bit. She could handle this. They could cheat a god. Their names would go down in history. He was smart, but he was also delightfully naive and far too trusting. 'Well, little reaper boy. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into.'

"So, say we accept this offer. What happens next?" Liz asked, turning her tone from one of detest to buttered up sweetness. Let him think he's got us. Let him think that he has a new pair of weapons. 'I'll play you like a game.'

His face lit up. Kid clearly thought he'd won them over, that she'd succumbed to an offer too good to resist. "Then I take you back with me to Death City. We resonate, we practice working as meister and weapons. I'll train you both into Death Scythes."

So that's what he would do. If he couldn't have a weapon that was already powerful, he'd create his own. Start from scratch and build them up. With the amount of time they'd spend with him, they could get away with more cash and more power. It was an enticing thought.

Liz felt Patty grab onto her wrist, tugging it insistently. "Please pretty please sis? We can sleep in a real house! He's a prince, we gotta go with him. Didn't ya hear that he's the Grim Reaper's son?" She clasped her hands under her chin. "Pretty, pretty, pretty please with a cherry on top?"

Liz tried her hardest to put on a convincing grin. "Yeah. Yeah Patty, let's do it."

Patty's face lit up. Liz smiled back at her. 'You just behave yourself for a little bit, sis. I'll make sure you'll never know hunger again.'

She turned to Kid. "We'll be you weapons, reaper. Your, er, left and right hands." She was still doubting that he could have such an obsession with symmetry that he needed to be balanced on both sides while he fought. That was bizarre. Still, whatever he had planned for them, she'd make sure she was one up on him. Nobody crossed Liz Thompson and won.

Patty squealed in delight. "Yes! We're gonna be your guns, Kid!" She giggled, clapping her hands in delight. "We're gonna be real powerful! So powerful a grim reaper will use us." She took his outstretched hand, shaking it vigorously. "Thank you so much! When are we gonna go?"

He smiled, satisfied by Patty's excitement. "I'm glad to here that, ladies." His palm was angled towards the floor, purple and black electricity seemed to vibrate around it. Liz wondered only briefly what she was getting herself into.

"And we can leave right now."

**A/N: Thank you to the reviewers. You have no idea how happy you make me. I love you all.**  
**Kudos to you if you can spot the lines interpreted from the manga. I took them to help me link up my story to the canon a little better, to try and keep a bit of a continuity going.**  
**Make a little writer squee and leave a review? Every single one encourages me to type the next update faster! If you do then Soul will play you the piano ^^**


	5. Thy Noble Steed

**A/N: Chapter Five! And you know how I said this would have nine chapters? Yeah... I lied... I revised my planning and it looks like there's going to be about thirteen. Yay for more writing! I'm really enjoying working my way through this.**

**Sorry this took so long to update, by the way. Blame exams.**

**Chapter Five**

**Thy Noble Steed**

It had gone much the way he expected it to, and probably better than planned.

It was really an awkward arrangement, and he would have much preferred the chance to sit down with them and talk properly. It felt as if he'd said everything he could, and yet there was so much more that they should know. But the sooner they were off the streets, the better. Maybe it was better to talk them into a split second decision. They'd be much more flexible on a whim.

It could have been worse, really. On the whole, the pair of them had agreed very quickly. Especially Patty. She was quite sweet, as her soul reflected. A baby blue shimmer, with just a few waves of rebellious energy. Quite an interesting weapon to work with. He appreciated her eagerness, and knew it was what played quite a large part in convincing her sister.

That Liz, though. She didn't trust him at all. He expected no less of her however, he would have been thrown if she'd agreed quickly. It clearly wasn't in her nature to be quickly devoted. And he didn't believe she saw their partnership being prolonged. Liz probably planned something stupid like trying to take off with some cash in hand.

That wasn't what bothered him though, funds were never really important. And it was to be suspected, after all. Rich boy, Babbling utter nonsense to her ears, and sounding like he had far too much faith in them both. It was temptation she wouldn't be able to resist.

She was treading dangerously. This could change her life for the better, or she could ruin herself. Liz would quickly see the world of souls, of kishin, of which her lack of exposure to up until now had kept her safe from. If she left, she could grow hungry. And if push came to shove, she might decide the taste of human soul appealed to her.

If that ever did happen, despite the flawless, symmetrical perfection she held with her sister, he would have to take her soul. This was going to be tricky, and if he wanted to keep her off the path if the kishin then he would have to have some tact. It would be difficult to gain her trust. But Kid was determined to have balance. Maybe, in the process, he'd be able to give them a better life too.

"When can we leave?" Patty had asked him, a broad grin on her face. Clearly, these two didn't have much to their name. There shouldn't be anything they'd want to take. That was good for him, he preferred to travel light.

"... Right now." He watched the younger pistol's expression turn to one of wonder, as he felt coils of energy snake down his arm. They sparked and fizzed against his palm, ghoulish skulls swirling around his hand. The bled a dark light into the dusty air. Liz jumped backwards when she saw them, pulling her transfixed sister with her. "Wh- What _are_ they?" Her gaze was fixed accusingly on the dark shapes. She shuddered, holding Patty against her chest. The younger was nothing short of amazed, her eyes focused on the little black faces. "That's so cool Kid!" She clapped quickly, always trying to work her way out of her sister's hold and towards him.

The energy returned to a point, twisting in dark purple sparks to the shape of Beelzebub.

At the sight, Liz's tense shoulders visibly dropped, and she eyed it carefully. "A... Skateboard? A whole fuck-" She stopped, clearing her throat. "I mean a whole light show for that?" Her eyebrow raised, and it looked like she couldn't decide if she was impressed, or if she found it melodramatic.

Patty wasn't as underwhelmed. "That's totally freaking awesome!" She squatted down, eyeing the skateboard carefully. Crawling on all fours, she looked it over from every angle. Liz took a few tentative steps forward. Her expression was still one of distrust, but he'd managed to pique her interest. "How'd ya... Just pull it out of thin air like that?" She apparently decided she didn't quite want to come closer, scooting backwards further. "And how exactly is it supposed to get all three of us to Death City?"

He'd forgotten just how strange this was going to be for them. Kid had understood phasmology, and to a lesser extent his own power, since he could remember. Not only was he born with the knowledge, but he'd grown up with it being actively put to use around him. He'd sit in front of his father's mirror in the death room when he was younger. Watching meisters and weapons from Shibusen fighting against witches and kishin. He'd see resonance fail and succeed, and be able to tell why. He'd see them fight, and be able to say why they won or lost. A lot of what he knew he'd learnt from seeing it being done. These two were a completely different story though. He didn't think they even knew much more about there weapon forms beyond point and shoot.

"This is Beezlebub. And put into the very simplest form, it's a part of my soul. It's no ordinary skateboard."

Liz scrunched up her nose, crossing her arms over her chest. "Apart of your soul?" Tilting her head back, she stepped carefully closer, not taking her eye of him. Patty jumped to her feet, a huge grin across her face. Oblivious to her sister's doubt. "Can I ride it, prettiest please?" She looked at him with wide eyes, a small pout on her face. Her hands were tucked neatly behind her back, too. She was well practiced at the 'innocent baby sister' act.

"There will be plenty of time for that. Right now, I'd like you girls to transform." Kid knew, thanks to his reaper soul, that he would be able to match wavelengths with the girls on a basic level. Enough to be able to hold them, and to probably use them to a certain extent. But to be able to wield them effectively, to all of their ability, he would need to take time to match their wavelengths on every depth. A task that could prove trying if Liz wasn't going to cooperate. He hated to think so critically so early on, but he also needed to think practically. It's impossible to resonate completely with someone you don't trust.

And he really did want this to work out. Not only for the perfect balance and the faultless symmetry.

He held his hands out, and Patty's hand shot into the air. "Yeah!" She yelled, and already her body had begun to glow pink. The centre of her form was bright white, burning off into a very light shade of red. But Liz grabbed onto her sister's elbow before she could transform completely. The shine dulled, leaving a disappointed Patty looking up in confusion. "Why'd ya stop me sis?" She queried. But Kid already knew why she didn't want to be hasty. He understood, but he couldn't get out of here fast enough. He wasn't going to get anywhere explaining things now, when they were already overwhelmed with things to absorb.

"Just hold up a sec." She turned to look at him carefully. "Just what are you going to do?" It was like she didn't want to trust him, but didn't know quite not what to trust. He could hear it in her voice. But it was only fair to attempt to give her a little more of an explanation. "If I hold you in weapon form, I'll be able to fly Beelzebub too. It'll only take about two hours, we can be in Death City by about 8pm." Yes, that's a good number to work with. Not only for it's faultless symmetry, but it'd give them a chance to sleep for a long day tomorrow. They were going to do a lot of learning. And he knew he'd have to learn some things himself too.

Both of the sister's eyes widened. One in horror, one in delight. "It can fly?!" They gasped, in complete unison. But in totally different tones. Patty was totally transfixed now. She observed Beelzebub from every angle, searching for any sign it was capable of flight. Liz wasn't nearly as excited about the idea. "Yes. It can do many things." His voice was rushed, urging them to ponder after they'd transformed. He was growing more and more eager to leave. They could talk while they were in the air, and the disorder here was becoming increasingly unsettling. "Will you transform so we can leave? If there's nothing you wish to take..."

Patty shook her head. She didn't hesitate. Liz thought for a few seconds, before coming to the same conclusion. "Nah. Get us out of here, Kid." He smiled, holding out his hands. This would be interesting. To make his first attempt at matching their wavelengths. "Transform if you please, and we can leave."

"Yeah!" Patty yelled, as the pink glow once again engulfed her body. He sister was the same, the light illuminating the dark corners of the warehouse. In a flash, they had transformed, and the pair of them sat in pistol form in his hands.

He held them up together, and marveled at them both. They matched perfectly. Exactly the same in every way. Matching decoration, matching barrel, handle, everything about them was reflected precisely. "Amazing! You're beautiful!" He turned them over in his hands, scrutinizing over every detail. "Absolutely perfect." Kid breathed quietly, spinning them once in his hands before finding a comfortable hold. Pinkies on he trigger, he'd be able to use them more efficiently in hand to hand combat. Guns like these held many advantages, using them he'd be capable of fighting long and close range. He had fallen in love with them as weapons, and thinking back, the thought of a blade didn't sit well with him. Why would you have that, when you could these too absolutely perfect twin pistols?

Perfect, perfect, perfect!

The pistol in his right hand glinted, and Liz's face appeared in the metal. She had a look of both confusion and pride, taking the compliments awkwardly. Like she wasn't even sure if she was supposed to be flattered. "Uh, Kid? Are we going? Or are you going to gawk at us all night?" Her tone snapped him from his thoughts. He shook his head, reminding himself that he would like to leave as much as he hoped the girls did. "Sorry. Yes, we're going. Not soon enough."

He stepped onto Beelzebub, gliding quickly out of the dusty warehouse. With a flick of his heel, he'd kicked off the ground, and he was in the air. Musty atmosphere evaporated beneath hi,, replaced with the familiar feeling of cool wind against his cheeks. The wheels turned inwards, jets kicking in. He bent his knees as he gathered speed in a completely natural adjustment, streamlining his body as he rapidly gained height. He could hear Patty's 'oohs' and 'ahhs'. Liz was silent.

It wasn't long before the blaring neon lights were well below him. The huge city, that had swallowed them all completely, shrank in size the more they climbed. Each of the buildings that poked at the stars becoming small, left far behind. The clean air, completely parallel to the inner city stench, stung his throat. He took a grateful gulp of fresh air. It dispelled the stale kind that had filled his lungs the past days. Patty glinted too, smiling broadly. She was laughing happily, smile reaching ear to ear. "It really is flying! That's so cool, Kid!"

Liz was not nearly as excited. A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead, and she craned her neck to try and see downwards. She held a look of wonder, and caution, peering down at Brooklyn. "We're really high..." She mumbled, half to herself. If he didn't know better, he'd say she was impressed. Even if she was, she probably wouldn't have even admitted it to herself.

"Are you scared?" He asked, genuinely concerned. Beelzebub was his primary way of getting from A to B, and it was even useful in combat. She would have to get used to flight. He was sure, given the chance, she'd enjoy it. He knew he did. The ability to summon Beelzebub was one of his most valued abilities.

"I'm not scared!" She huffed, glaring daggers at him. "Just... Don't go and drop me or something." Patty giggled loudly, sound vibrating from the weapon. She seemed perfectly content just to admire the view. Not a flicker of worry ever passed her face since they'd met. She was always happy, always smiling. "He ain't gonna drop us, sis. Just look, we're flying!"

Kid could read their souls properly now that they were in weapon form, and had a connection to them both. Patty was willing to resonate with him quite strongly, her wavelength matching comfortably with his own. Because of this, she sat easily in his hand, the two of them matching and understanding each other in the way meister and weapon should. Their souls weren't hard to synchronize. Even if it had sparks that he didn't quite understand. There was something very wild in her soul, just flickers of contrast to the overwhelming sense of warmheartedness. He knew he'd find out what that meant about her personality soon enough. It didn't really concern him, as he was sure that once they were familiar with each other, the two of them should face no problems resonating. But despite Kid maintaining and managing the connection between all three of them, Patty was the wavelength most connected to both him and Liz. Even if the links should have been at the same level.

Her sister was different. He couldn't quite hold onto her wavelength, because there wasn't the same willingness to connect to his soul. She felt uneasy in his hand, and her soul was restraining it's connection to him. It made her much heavier to hold, the metal very cold in his palm. Despite his best efforts to reach out with his wavelength, to open his soul to hers, she denied the instinct to connect to him. It was an uncomfortable feeling. And she knew it as well, he was sure. The connection was there, waiting to be formed, and yet she wouldn't take the step to secure it. It meant that despite having basic enough a match, they would never resonate properly at this rate.

Even if they weren't connected properly, he could still read her soul. It was unlike any he'd seen. It conflicted itself. Colours swirled in strange patterns, each fighting for dominance. This soul had many desires, much resentment, and a desperate will to do what it believed right. It was like she knew where she wanted to be, but didn't know how to get there.

Maybe it was his reaper instincts, maybe it was sympathy. But he wanted desperately to show her how. To dispel the darkest colours and restore the gentle blue her soul once was. She wanted to do so too, he was sure. And yet she wouldn't accept his aid. For once, Kid had felt what it was like if one soul didn't want to resonate totally, and it was an extremely unpleasant situation. He sincerely hoped that would change quickly, because it made him feel slightly queasy. Not to mention, like this, Patty was much lighter that Liz was. He tried desperately not to think about that.

Patty had done most of the talking throughout the journey, babbling happily about nothing in particular. Whenever Kid or Liz did interject, she only seemed to hear them if she wanted to. Liz was quiet, seeming to try and work through what had happened in the past hour. But it didn't matter, really, if they didn't have much to talk about. In a way, he'd rather save explanations until tomorrow. At the moment he was enjoying the cool evening breeze, the different ways of bending and flexing their connection and wavelengths, despite Liz's lack of participation. It was the first time he'd had the chance to maintain the links between souls. His instincts came into play, and held their souls in a harmony as best he could. He could tell that all three of them could have a perfect synchronization. 'In time, we will. This will work.'

The journey was almost too short. Time had passed quickly. Purple and blue swirled in the sky as the moon grinned madly, thick red falling from it's mouth. It sat lowly in the sky just above the academy, which could be spotted from the three candles shining in the distance. "Up there, girls." He managed to find a gap in Patty's chattering in which to direct their attention to the buildings, which grew larger the closer they approached.

"That's Death City."

**A/N: What ****_is_**** Beelzebub anyway? The wiki wasn't any help. I was pretty much going off my own headcanon here... And I also really like the thought of baby Kid sitting in front of the mirror and watching academy students fight. Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed that chapter!**

**Review and make me one happy little writer. Please? I want to know what the readers think ^-^**

**P.S. I live in New Zealand, practically the other side of the world from Brooklyn. I have never once been to the city, and I know I've shown it in an awful light throughout these past chapters. But it wouldn't quite be the same if I'd depicted it as a lovely place to live, now would it?**


	6. The Kingdom

**A/N: And once again, thank you for the lovely reviews! I'm really happy with such positive feedback. -hugs- It's so great to hear all your comments and ideas, and I'm taking them all into consideration, believe me.**  
**Speaking of which, I read the part of Soul Eater Not! with Kid, Liz and Patty. And... It's not really fitting too well with where I plan for this story to head. I half wishing I'd read it before starting this, so I could adjust the plot so it matched better. Especially Patty and Liz's personalities, ****_especially especially_**** Patty. I would have made her more on the trigger happy side, which seemed to get ironed out of her save for the occasional moments. Basically, this is going to ignore those events. Sorry about that... I do plan on writing a little something around those coffee shop scenes, maybe I'll do it once I've finished this ;)**  
**Gah, I'll stop rambling now. Let's just get into it.**

**Chapter Six**

**The Kingdom**

So, maybe he wasn't lying about being a Shinigami.

That skateboard, or Beelzebub, or whatever the hell she was supposed to call it, they'd flown on it. In about two seconds, he'd just held them as pistols, and quite literally... Flew away. Kicked off the ground and into the air. The concrete prison that Liz and Patty were trapped in all their life had shattered to pieces below them, disappearing into almost total insignificance. Yet again, he'd performed an impossible feat, and not even acknowledged it. No human can just pull a flying skateboard out of their hand. No human can take down twelve men in moments. No human can break a monster twice their size's jaw by just pushing down on it.

He. Wasn't. Human.

And then there was the way he fought. No doubt there were others who had that ability in combat, Kid said he was a meister as well as a reaper. Other meisters, that attended the academy, must have skills reminiscent to his to wield weapons. But still, he seemed particularly powerful. Well, it'd make sense if he really was a _god_. The thought did scare Liz a bit. Just what was she getting herself into? There was just too much she didn't understand, even if all the facts were there. It was like there was something deeper than the surface that she couldn't quite grasp.

How about the weird symmetry thing, which he claimed was his reason for tracking them down in the first place? When they had transformed, he had marveled at their pistol forms, totally obsessed with the way they matched. It was... Odd, to say the very least. He seemed totally mesmerized by them. Liz herself had never even thought twice about the fact that she matched her sister. It didn't seem like a big deal. No, he couldn't be serious. Kid must be messing with her head. She wanted to trust him, she really did. But gods don't pluck girls like her and Patty off the streets. Out of the darkest shadows and into the light, showering them with promises of a better life. Calling them perfect, and beautiful, and all kinds of other lovely things that made Liz feel sick. That might be how fairytales played out, but they were stories made for children. And Liz was forced to grow up much too fast. Even if really, the entire experience could have been magical if she'd allowed herself to enjoy it the way Patty did.

Especially flying. Never before had she been up in the air. And the sight of Brooklyn disappearing beneath her, the towering building evaporating behind into dull specks of light, it was something she enjoyed. Like all her fears, as well as the reputation she'd built for Patty and herself, just dissipated into nothing. Her whole life could just be washed away, cleaned and started again. As if. It was almost as laughable as everything else that was happening. Had it not happened to her, in fact, she would be cackling as much as Patty did about how ridiculous it was.

Despite the view, however, it hadn't been comfortable. Liz had blocked her soul off from him, ignoring his desperate and genuine attempts to resonate with her. He could feel the frustration in his soul, and the silent pleas for her to stop being so unreasonable and do as a weapon should. Maybe that wasn't exactly what he was thinking, but it was close enough. And Liz planned on being stubborn no matter how much her wavelength disagreed with her head. Her mind was firm, but her soul gravitated towards him like it was being pulled with invisible strings.

To be in weapon form with Patty was a nice feeling, though. If there was anything that could be salvaged from the journey, that was it. They were very close, and held a very strong connection to each other. But it made her angry to think that would be because Kid had heightened it with his own soul.

Patty had opened up and reached easily to Kid's wavelength. She could tell that they matched souls without difficulty, and throughout the journey had linked with a strong bond. She fumed as she felt their connection, one which she refused to join no matter how inviting it was. She saw her sister's wavelength swell with the resonance, her and Kid creating a kind of subconscious connection only achieved by weapon and meister. Both of their souls swelled, amplifying each other. Yet she stayed, completely closed off, because she couldn't afford to make that connection. She refused to trust him, because he was too good to be true. He reminded her too much of the sickly princes in those soft stories.

Liz thought she'd be glad when it was over. But then she saw where they were heading, and she thought that maybe she could have stood a little longer in the awkward half resonance.

Death City. The academy was the easiest to spot. It was the beacon, standing atop the rest of the buildings, like a castle. Three candles, three spheres, and even from afar the iconic skull shapes weren't hard to miss. It was the crowning jewel of the large city, sticking up out of the jumble of oddly formed houses and stores. The cherry on top. And it made her blood run cold. It only very subtly crossed her mind that it was symmetrical.

They were only just approaching, but she already felt a different vibe to that of Brooklyn's. The same idea of a city, but shaped and formed like it was from another world. It was hard to explain, but it seemed to hum with a bit more life, seemed to have many more colours, even if there was a firm black and white scheme to a lot of it. Totally new, even if many of the buildings would have been older than the ones back home.

_Home? Was it still home? Would she want to go back, when she'd gotten his money? Where would they be hidden from a Shinigami?_

She shook the questions from her head. They hung in her mind still, looming grey clouds pouring doubt onto he plan. If you could call it that. 'Playing it by ear' wasn't a strong enough statement for how much Liz was improvising at the moment. Not that she could better prepare, even though she wanted to. Everything was so unpredictable, every time she dared to ponder on what lay ahead something else happened to end any forward thinking. She stubbornly convinced herself that she would get out of here better off. Her and Patty would be rolling in it. Just wait, just play your cards right, and he won't know what hit him. But the doubt sat quietly, growing in size and adding to her confusion. Everything was moving far too fast for her liking, and it was all. Kid's. Fault.

She heard Patty's cooing over the city. The grin on her face was one to challenge the moon's wide snarl. Her soul was pulsing with excitement, the view of the city appealing to her. Liz could tell she knew it was different to Brooklyn too, but it didn't make her wary at all. "Where's our new house, Kid? Can we see it yet?"

Liz noted that she needed to get Patty in the right direction too, and quickly. Already, she had her heart set on him. That damn Shinigami, filling her head with such wonderful lies...

Kid began to descend, the outlines of the city's landscape becoming slowly more defined. Each detail came into clearer view the lower they got, every dull blurry light sharpening into its source. All the buildings, the shape, the aura of this place was different to what she knew. It was... Mysterious, in a way. She knew the inner workings of Brooklyn's shady underbelly like the palm of her hand, and with the help of her sister's pistol form and a quick tongue, she could manipulate it in many ways. But even while they still soared above it, already Liz felt out of her depth here. She didn't know what in particular caused this feeling of unease. But though she recognized every basic thing, street lamps, apartments and the like, the tone was on another level. "We're almost there." Kid told them, gesturing in a vague direction with a nod of his head.

They had past the inner city, where the buildings were most concentrated, and were now in what seemed a more expensive area. The houses got bigger, more extravagant, and Liz remembered walking down streets like this in Brooklyn. On the rare occasion they'd have to, she used to spit in their perfectly tended gardens. Now they had begun to descend, her stomach twisted unpleasantly. Of course she didn't have expected such a prissy boy to live in a cheap apartment. But in all honesty, she hadn't really gotten the chance to think this far ahead.

And before she had the opportunity once again, he landed, gliding to the pavement and coming to a stop as gracefully as he had taken off back outside the warehouse. A flick of his wrists was all the instruction he needed to give the girls to transform. Liz warped herself back into human form, Patty mimicking the action in a blur of pink light. Once their feet hit the pavement, Kid had sucked Beelzebub back into his palm, the skateboard disappearing in a storm of ghoulish faces with the same smooth motions of dark light that had summoned it.

She didn't bother herself to marvel though, she lifted her hands above her head instead and stretched. Never before had she needed to be in weapon form that long. It wasn't really that it was uncomfortable, it was more that she wasn't used to it. And staying in such a state of minimal resonance was not very fun. She was usually the one wielding Patty, after all. It was her sister's loud gasp of amazement that had her opening her eyes to look at the house in front of her. Well, house was being flexible...

It was a fucking mansion. No doubt one of the biggest she'd been permitted to get close to. They had landed inside the gates, but the fact she was so close only heightened its surreal size. It must have had more than twenty rooms, and the whole thing, from doors to windows, had perfect, flawless symmetry. Even the guillotines on the left and right matched. Fitting for a god of death, but certainly not the conventional garden decor. And it screamed foreign to her. How could this be a _home_? They'd slept on cardboard boxes all their life, and now suddenly they were standing outside a palace fit for a king. It was quite impressive. And it made her feel queasy. "This really your house, Kid?" Patty's eyes were wide as she placed her hands on her hips, staring at the manor. She was in awe. "Cause it's huge!"

"Yes. This is Gallows Manor." He smiled, that polite, pleased smile, and drew a key from his pocket. Patty giggled, wide eyes hungrily drinking in every detail. Liz too was taking it in, but tried to stay more conspicuous about it. In a swift motion, he turned they key in the lock, pushing both sides of the doors open and stepping to the side. "Please, come in."

The girls stepped inside. Patty bounced happily, mouth open wide in amazement and eyes even wider. Liz tried to seem disinterested, but it was a tough task to achieve. It was huge, even more so from the inside. They'd entered an entrance hall, which had been decorated extravagantly and expensively. It somehow managed to stay subtle though, each part fitting nicely into its own place. And the whole thing was symmetrical. The left mirrored the right perfectly. It was so precisely arranged she was almost scared to touch anything. Well, she might've been scared if she'd cared.

Which. She. Didn't. They'd be out of here in a week at most, and she made a mental note to throw out all of his precious symmetry in the whole damn house before she left. It'd serve him right.

"It's totally awesome, Kid!" Patty jumped around, carefully eying the paintings, running her hand over the wallpaper. If nothing else, at least she was happy. She would have all this too, when they left, Liz would make sure they made off with enough to give her a real place to rest her head. And no damn Shinigami boy.

He walked in behind them, closing the door. There wasn't the same smile on his face though. He seemed distracted as he rushed past her, through one of the large doors on the left. Patty was too preoccupied to even notice that he was leaving. "I'm glad it pleases you, but you'll have to excuse me. I have an awful feeling that one of the candles may have burnt down slightly lower than the others while I was away..."

It felt as if he was talking more to himself than them, and Liz only had a second to call out before he disappeared completely. "Hey! Are we just gonna' stand around here?" She knew she was being rude, and it was partly on purpose. Besides, that was pretty rude of him too, to rush out like that. He had some serious OCD or something going on to suddenly drop the friendly host act and leave like that, to check on some candles of all things. Also, there had to be something else seriously wrong for him invite the Thompson Sisters into his home and leave them alone without a second thought.

But then, she was insane for going with him. And it was no secret that she had some serious issues of her own. This whole day was madness. She'd probably wake up back on the streets, with only passing memory of this bizarre dream. If only it didn't feel so real...

Kid's head popped back through the doorway, if only for a second. It seemed Patty and herself were the least of his concerns at the moment. She'd make him regret thinking like that. "Upstairs to the left, you can take your pick of any of the rooms there. Feel free to explore. I would show you around, but there are other things that need my attention urgently." And he was gone again, Liz staring at the empty air.

Patty laughed beside her, a loud giggling that vibrated of the four looming walls. "He's pretty weird, huh sis?"

'Weird' wasn't even the half of it.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed that! I'm really sorry this took so long to update, and I know I always come up with an excuse, but this time it's the extra gymnastics practices I've had recently. The next chapter won't have a lot of action, but will hopefully give you guys some angsty feels, and I'll get it up quicker than this one, I swear.**

**Could I tempt you maybe to drop a review? They motivate me a lot!**


	7. Rewritten

**A/N: Always, always, always thank you for such kind reviews! Seriously, every time I get one I just curl up into a ball and squeal for a bit.**  
**Please enjoy the chapter! I loved writing it. This was one of the ones that I really wanted to make sure I got right, and I hoped I achieved what I was aiming for. We're pretty much halfway now too! -sound of sarcastic clapping-**

**Chapter Seven**

**Rewritten**

It had taken them over an hour to explore the mansion in its entirety.

True, the amount of time they'd spent in the kitchen certainly hadn't shortened it, but the manor was even bigger when you were trying to find your way around it. Every time they thought they'd finally seen the last room, another door would pop up, and give them some more to see. Patty thoroughly inspected every corner, always finding something interesting to marvel over, always giggling when they walked into another perfectly symmetrical room. Liz stayed bitter. She found herself always searching for flaws. When there was clearly none to be found. She ground her teeth together and put on a fake smile for Patty, who quickly wore herself out, practically bouncing off the walls in excitement.

Like a firework, her little sister sparked brightly and loudly, but by the end of a day she'd burn herself out.

They eventually found their way back to square one. Liz thought it might never end. But even if it felt like they'd been up and down the whole house, and a bit more, they hadn't stumbled across Kid. That didn't bother her, though. She could go a while without having golden eyes bore into her skin.

So they picked a room, and Patty had practically collapsed onto the expensive duvet. The rooms they chose had only one bed, but the pair was used to sleeping side by side. This place was foreign enough as it was, so they both silently agreed to stay together.

Liz was accustomed to sleeping in abandoned buildings and on the street. On the rare occasion Patty and herself and scraped together enough for a motel, it always reeked of horrible things, always totally unorganized, unhygienic and unclean. Any roof that she managed to put over her head was rotting and leaking. All the buildings they'd gotten into decrepit and disgusting. Even the worst were better than the pavement though, on which they'd sleep on the worst nights.

For someone like her and Patty, such a mansion as this should have been a godsend. But she was there on the wrong terms. It was another reminder of how there was something amiss, because it was only in stupid idealistic fairytales that you could be on the street one night and a mansion the next.

After she had taken advantage of one of the extravagant bathrooms, and for the first time in weeks had a proper shower, Liz went outside. She was so glad to have gotten out of there, if only to catch her breath. The perfection of the mansion was almost suffocating, the sweet smell and pristine cleanliness was too shocking to her system. She just needed to get out. Even if the hot water on her skin was a, quite frankly, fucking amazing feeling. The thought that she could have something as simple as a shower whenever it took her fancy after she was out of here, was the only thing keeping her sane. With that thought in mind, she smirked as she pulled her hood over her damp hair, slipping out the door into the cool night

Patty had crawled under the covers as she left, whispering about how great everything was, about how she knew for sure Kid was their prince, and all manner of other things that her older sister wished didn't spill from her mouth.

Liz took a heaving breath in, the clean air attacking her throat. It filled her lungs, stinging them with an icy chill. She shivered, stepping further into the night, pulling her ragged hood over her head. This was not the polluted city air she was accustomed to. But the cold was a feeling she was well used to. What she wasn't so familiar with was the knowledge that she could go back indoors, into the warmth of the manor. But she didn't, because even if it was the grandest roof she'd ever had over her head, it was the last place she wanted to be.

Instead, she found herself leaning against the brick wall outside the manor, hand digging into her pocket to find what her tense nerves craved. She retrieved one of the joints and her lighter, sighing heavily. Her breath condensed against the bitter night air in front of her, and she watched it fade as she turned them over in her hands. Kid would probably kick her out if he caught her. Or worse.

No, maybe not worse, he didn't seem that destructive.

But still, he could probably do to them whatever he wanted, as it was clear he overpowered them. And yet, the thought didn't faze her. Liz's tongue darted over her lips lightly, before she brought the drug to her mouth. Placing her hand over the lighter so it would not be disturbed by the cool breeze, she flicked her thumb, and a tiny flame sparked into life. She felt the heat seep into the night air, onto her chin and her hand. The warmth smoothed the goosebumps that had begun to rise on her skin.

Closing her eyes, she inhaled, toxins once again filling her throat. The feeling soothed her, the familiar sensation buzzing in her veins comforting after the radical changes in only the last few hours. The small warmth the lighter's flame had been extinguished, and she returned it to her pocket. Blowing out smoke through her mouth and nose in a heavy sigh, she tilted her head back to look up. The moon grinned maniacally down at her. It was taunting, sneering, and she childishly raised her middle finger to it. Not that it was perturbed, it still smiled, thick red oozing from its teeth. She sucked in again, the next heaving breath of smoke blown upwards into the sky.

Liz, for the first time in what seemed like years, had a chance to catch up to the pace of things happening to her. Wasn't it only this morning, that she had decided to mug the boy whose house she was now staying in? Even if she'd been downright nasty to him... He'd decided that he would go to all this effort, just to make them his weapons. It was beyond her comprehension, for someone to be so selfless, to be looking out for someone other than themselves

The only one who had ever shown her even a scrap of kindness, other than her sister, was Reg. And if she was honest, a 'scrap' was pushing it. The Thompsons were young when they ended up on the street, and were barely making it by. But when they had discovered they could turn into pistols, that they had weapon blood, Reg had taken an interest in them. He showed them the ropes. Teaching them the basics, skills that Liz honed into perfection. She had to admit, he was one of the influences that allowed them to become so infamous. He was a scum of a man, black teeth and even blacker heart. Still, you did what you had too. And listening to him was what kept them alive.

Being one who relied on some pretty hard drugs, he hadn't been around to long. No place for mourners on the streets though. When Liz found him she'd simply taken off with the cash he'd had on him, as well as the joints she had found him in the first place to buy off him. And it was horrible, but what else could she do? Rest in peace, you damn bastard.

Now, Kid was here. And he opened his soul to hers. Heat rose to her cheeks at the thought, embarrassed that she had been so childish and refused his offer. Resonating with him made her stronger. Surely it wouldn't be hard to just accept the power, and refuse the emotional side? What harm could it do? A chilled wind blew past, prickling her skin, dousing the fire in her face. He probably thought her a fool. He was probably right.

Taking another deep breath in, she watched the trail of smoke tainting the air in front of her. It floated upwards, a smog that colored the wind grey. The smell was the only thing that still felt like Brooklyn, the sensation of buzzing in her head the only thing similar.

Everything was different here. The worst part was, she thought she might prefer it in Death City.

"I've already told you what a bad habit that is."

Liz gasped, turning sharply. Her heart had leapt out of her throat at the sound of his voice, tone as harsh as the evening chill that hung in the air. "Shit!" She yelped, instantly ready to try to defend herself. Good to know that her instinct hadn't worn off already. Once she realized that it was only Kid, she put her hand back on the wall to steady herself. The rapid movement had caused her head to swim, the adrenaline caused her to pant. "Don't sneak up on people like that!" Her voice was strained, trying to be angry, polite, and cover her surprise all at the same time. It didn't work. This boy made her so angry, and trying to butter up to him was harder than she thought it would be. She was too used to speaking her mind.

"I never 'snuck up on you'." He crossed his arms over his chest, and for the first time, Liz saw him differently than before. It wasn't the way he had gone crazy over the symmetry between Patty and herself, or the way he'd been a snarky little rich kid in the alley. Maybe that was her perception, but it was clear as black and white now that he was treating her in a different way to when they first met. It felt like she'd had golden eyes staring down on her for years. She tried desperately to suppress the shiver crawling up her spine.

He continued, stepping slightly closer. "I'm sorry if I startled you, but I was just wondering where you were. If my soul perception is correct, Patty is upstairs. And you clearly aren't." His voice was no longer sugar-coated with hospitality. This was Kid being Kid, albeit the stern, and pretty scary version.

She took her hand of the wall, raising the other to her mouth to suck again on the joint. Finally, they would have a conversation without trying to appeal to each other. Fuck being polite. She could make of with his cash even if he didn't like her. "So I came out for a smoke. What's it to you?" Her words were drawn out, and she blew the smoke in an exaggerated fashion. It was satisfying to see the unimpressed look on his face.

But he surprised her. He didn't lose his cool, nor did he threaten her. His voice stayed calm but firm, his gaze never wavering. "Liz, please." And then he did something even more surprising, by holding his hand out. "Give it to me."

She scoffed, choosing to ignore the raised arm. "No. I need it." Her grip was tight, and she'd almost crushed it between her fingers. As if she'd give it to him. Did he know how expensive this stuff was? Stepping back, she put a hand on her hip. Holding a defiance stance, mimicking his. They stared each other down, both refusing to back down, an unstoppable force and an unmovable object.

He withdrew his hand and sighed, a quiet breath that condensed against the air. It seemed much purer than the smoke that swirled from her own mouth. "You need it, huh?" Despite being a little softer, his voice hadn't wavered. And he certainly hadn't given up, just chosen a different tactic. "Why?" It was a single word, a seemingly simple question, but Liz thought she could run to Brooklyn and back before answering fully.

Liz's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Why? Why do you care?" She heard her voice shake, and she started to quake under the pressure of his stare. Her composure was beginning to slip. In that moment, she would have liked nothing more than to smash her fist into his nose, to somehow break his perfect form. How was it that he was so privileged, and she had to fight to find a meal? Why was he the one blessed by god's blood?

Kid was trying to appeal to her, trying desperately to smash the walls she'd put up around her soul. "Because I can't help you if I don't know a thing about you."

_That_ was rich. It made her want to laugh, and she could almost comprehend how Patty saw things as so damn hilarious. She felt a fit of hysterical laughter bubbling inside her, but she managed to suppress it. At least _she_ was human. Liz couldn't even begin to comprehend how backwards that statement was. Taking another deep puff, a few more shaking breaths, she was able to calm herself. "Tell you what, Kid. You tell me about yourself first. then I might talk."

He must have found it funny too, because a light, but genuine laugh escaped his lips. His eyes moved upwards, lingering on those of the moon's, before he sighed slightly. "That's not an easy question to answer." The expression on his face was absent, as his smile settled into that same deadpan.

Liz suddenly felt a small flicker of understanding. It was only brief, but for a second, the god and the devil had some grasp on the other. It was as insane as their situation. The thought that maybe he, in the same way she did, didn't quite know what he was doing either. That he wasn't just seeking to benefit himself, and that everything he'd said was bare truth. She couldn't hold onto it though, and her thoughts once again turned bitter. Seeing him once again as the filthy rich boy. "Try." Her reply was dry. Voice slightly clipped.

It was a beat of silence before he seemed to cave, and his eyes angled to the side in thought. "Well, you're aware I'm a Shini-"

She cut him off. It was not worth hearing such tedious things, that she already knew. "Okay, but what does that actually /mean/? Just... What are you?"

Kid closed his eyes, seeming to draw on his thoughts, waiting to have what he would tell her well picked. She continued to puff on her joint. The humming it caused in her head helped her not to snap under the tension in their silence. The smoke filling the air made him twitch slightly in irritation. He still hadn't let that go? After a few moments he opened his eyes, taking a breath before he began. "As a reaper, I am meant to serve as a guardian of this world and of human souls. My purpose is to maintain balance between good and evil, to keep order." He didn't seem to have trouble finding his words once he started. It was like he knew it all like the back of his hand. "It does mean I am gifted with abilities no human can have. But many of those I can't use yet, as I'm still young. Those powers will grow over time, and when I've reached my full potential as a Shinigami I will take over my father's place." At this point he must have noticed the confused expression that had slipped onto her face, because he shrugged his shoulders lightly and sighed. "I'm afraid I can't put it simpler than that."

Liz nodded absently, taking shaky breaths. The boy standing in front of her, who she detested, was a genuine god on earth. It made everything that bit more surreal. Did he really know what he was getting himself into, taking the Thompson Sisters of the street? Surely not even perfect symmetry was worth it. They were demons, taking whatever pleased them. Them against the world. Why did a god want them?

It should have been a blessing. She should have been as happy as Patty. But she just couldn't bring herself to believe it. And so, she couldn't bring herself to trust him.

"Okay then." Liz mumbled, scuffing her feet on the pavement. She took another deep inhale before she continued. "Fair enough. I'm a weapon, my mother was a whore, and my sister and I made our own way on the streets." It was purposeful to be vague. She didn't much like the idea of spilling her deepest secrets out to this boy, still practically a stranger.

But he didn't seem too fazed by that. "Alright." Once again, he held out his hand, and nodded to the smoke stuck between her teeth. "Surely nothing's worth that, though?"

Kid really had some nerve, didn't he? Sitting on his moral high horse, telling her what she did and didn't need. Why was he seeing everything like it was as black and white as his clothes? That's not how the world works. It is not that simple. And maybe if he didn't have such an easy life, he'd realize that. "No." She argued, taking it from her mouth and dropping it to the pavement. Grinding it under her foot, she stepped past him, heading back into the manor. "Go fuck yourself!" Liz yelled, as she stormed away, turning to spit at the ground as she did. As Kid started to speak again, without the raised voice she had, she turned and glared at the back of his head. "You have no fucking idea, you damn god!"

He didn't speak. Instead, he turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow. The look on his face was still collected, and as much as she glared at him, he wasn't reacting in the way she wanted. So, she angled her face upwards, and screamed. "You bastard!" It echoed throughout the empty street. Taking a deep breath of stinging, clean air, she spun around to run inside.

She hated it here, she hated him. But what Liz hated most was that this could first genuinely good thing to happen to her in her life, and she was throwing it back in Kid's face. And after that little fit, he probably hated her too. Why couldn't she just accept his kindness, why couldn't she just accept that Patty was right and this was their fairytale?

_I can't do anything right, can I?_

**A/N: Kudos to Lialane Graest for the name Reginald, which I shortened to Reg XD**

**Can anyone offer any songs that they think would go well with this story? I need some more music to write to. On that thought, feel free to offer any requests/suggestions on the story, I'm always open to ideas. :)**  
**And as always, don't forget to drop a review. You have no idea how much I love 'em!**


	8. The Family Jewels (Illuminate Part I)

**A/N: Y'know... I really don't like this chapter. I'll probably go back and edit it at some point, but I've had to rewrite a lot of it at least threes times. I just really wanted to move on. That's why it's pretty damn short, and why I'll write an extra long part two with lots of good stuff to make up for it. Sorry about that guys... But yes, the title is a reference to Marina and the Diamonds :)**

**And to the guest that offered to be my beta reader, please PM me! I'd love to have a second pair of eyes :) And I love Thousand Foot Kruth, too!**

**Chapter Eight**

**The Family Jewels (Illuminate Part I)**

Liz's soul was wild. He knew now that it truly wasn't a lie to say he'd never seen anything like it. Most Kid had come across were basically black and white, a solid tone that held true to the sort of person they were. Usually, the desires and values of a soul weren't this conflicted. And even though he'd had been able to see it closer, had even held a small level of resonance with her, the colours were still hard to distinguish. It flared with shades from the entire spectrum.

A bold rosy pink held dominance, however, a colour reminiscent to that of Patty's. It would be what most meisters saw. The tint of a soul told a lot to someone who could read it well, and this pink was a rare but valuable tone. Feminine, beautiful, tender and loyal. Strong willed, but maybe a bit timid. Those were the traits Liz was born with.

However, the life she'd been forced to lead had started to dull the brilliant colour. In the shadows of her soul lay dark influences, casting black onto one who was fighting to stay in the light. It was clear she was close to breaking point, the tension pressing down on her like a constant weight. The parts that weren't overshadowed with anger and resentment held a shade that wasn't the same as Patty's exactly, but it matched well. The younger Thompson's was a little sharper, a little deeper. And yet, the lack of symmetry in the colour of their souls didn't really bother him. It seemed to fit better the way they were.

Still, maybe he gave his soul perception more credit than it deserved, and he was completely wrong.

But the colour of their souls wasn't his main concern right now. It was getting to match them. Which, at the moment, wasn't happening. Resonance between three is rare to find and difficult to maintain. It takes a strong bond between the trio to work. And if the conversation Kid and Liz had shared the night before was anything to go off, they wouldn't achieve the connection they needed this way. The way they'd talked was chipped and tense. They'd clashed in such a way that had sent them backwards, souls flying away from each other. Patty was the only thread connecting them at the moment. A fact endlessly frustrating, because he didn't know how to bridge the slowly growing gap between them.

In the morning, the girls had left to buy the things they needed. Liz blatantly tore down his offer to go with them, but even with Patty's disappointment in that he was glad to have time to get some things sorted. So he'd allowed them to take off, both seemingly pleased with the fact they were actually shopping, not stealing. He'd given them a card, with what he hoped would hold enough for the pair of them, and told them that as long as they bought an outfit each to match each other, they could buy anything they wanted.

Patty was ecstatic with the idea, giggling about how matching her sister would be _so_ cool, and how it was _such_ a good idea. Liz agreed reluctantly, raising an eyebrow at the concept. It did seem that buying whatever she pleased was temptation enough though, and the pair barreled out the door.

* * *

"Heya, Kiddo! Wazzup? Long time no see!" Lord Death raised a large white hand to wave in greeting, turning from the redhead beside him to face his son. Spirit Albarn, resident Death Scythe, glanced up from the thick pile of paper in his hands only briefly to nod a greeting. He quickly peered down again, the tip of his tongue snaking over his lips as he peered at what Kid guessed to be mission forms.

Clouds swirled around the soothing blue sky of the Death Room, drifting lazily around each other. Their travel was slow and sluggish, moving at their own pace, one that made Kid feel lazy simply watching. Occasionally, one would drop to the ground, rolling slowly before once again ascending into the seemingly endless blue. These clouds were odd in contrast to the markers cast out expansively around the platform. The crooked little structures were to show where souls deemed to evil to be granted an afterlife were buried, the most putrid of kishin. When he was younger, the asymmetrical shapes gave Kid much stress, but when it came to matters of Shinigami he taught himself to suppress the obsessions. After all, the combat unique to his kind involved little appreciation of symmetry. Among almost every other special quality belonging to gods of death. His existence contradicted even itself.

He'd never been much of a fan of irony.

Lord Death's head tilted in its usual inquisitive way, hand once again tucked away. Spirit muttered something about "letting Granny file these..." Before he swiftly dismissed himself, leaving down the guillotine pathway. This left only the two reapers together. "So, how'd ya' mission go? No problems?"

Kid shook his head, He wasn't sure how to explain the sisters. It wasn't hard to see just what he was getting himself into, partnering with them. Not to mention he was breaking from usual Shinigami tradition, choosing not to wield a scythe. 'How could I have any other weapons?' He thought bitterly. 'When they're so perfect?'

"No problems, I retrieved the target's souls." Kid answered, knowing what he would be asked next. No matter what way he worded the explanation in his head, it still sounded ridiculous. Put it into words and you'd think him a fool for choosing them. You'd probably be right.

His father nodded. "Good work Kid, I can always count on you!" Seeing that he had nothing more to add, his father tilted his head ever so slightly further. "And... The pistols?"

Here goes nothing. His father always was light-hearted, to the point where Kid was sometimes exasperated when he didn't seem to understand the gravity of a situation. But he always did seem to know when a more serious tone was needed. He took a small, sighing breath, before he started. "Yes. I found them. Liz and Patty Thompson."

His father hummed encouragingly. "Mmmhmm...?"

"...Their souls were purely human. But I don't think they would have lasted much longer at the rate they were going." He paused, his eyes lingering on a cloud drifting beside him, before glancing back to Lord Death. "And I brought them back to Death City, to be my weapons. They are perfect, father! Totally and beautifully symmetrical pistols!" Kid held his hands up like scales, as he immediately started to justify his decision.

Lord Death bounced perfectly straight, both hands appearing to clap together. He nodded quickly, his voice even brighter than usual. "Twin pistols! You've found yourself weapon partners! That's excellent news, Kiddo!"

Kid hadn't expected such an excited reaction. He was slightly taken aback, but smiled and agreed. "They are certainly an interesting pair, but there is no doubt in my mind that they will make fine death scythes with a bit of work."

Although the mask stopped him seeing, Kid knew there was a grin on his father's face too. A white hand raised to the iconic skull shape in thought, and he spoke again with a little less vigor, but still just as cheery. "Remember, weapons aren't just people to fight with. For a partnership to be successful, the parties must have a strong bond, and share a resonance beyond comprehension until experienced. They'll become like family to you, people you couldn't imagine being without, or the partnership will fail."

His father wasn't speaking in a more serious tone, but it really hit Kid then just how far they had to go for this to work. Patty was already set to form a strong resonance with him, and he felt they could come to understand each other in time. She was like nothing he'd ever seen. Always so happy, and very different to himself, but they balanced one another well. They were where a partnership should be at this point, barely there, but showing great potential.

Liz, however, was a different story entirely. They were pushing away from each other, neither having even a small understanding of the other. It was frustrating, because in the small time they'd known one another, they'd done nothing but argue and clash. He wanted nothing more than to smash the wall standing between their souls, because she was so beautifully symmetrical with her sister, and the glimpses he'd caught of her true soul were beautiful even all on their own.

It was so _frustrating_. He never expected facing so many problems so early on...

"I understand father. We will make this work, and they will be my Death Scythes." Kid replied, with determination set in his tone.

Somehow, he'd resonate with them. Somehow, he would come to know them well. And somehow, they would work as a team.

This. Will. Work.

* * *

When Kid returned to Gallows Manor, the sight before him was overwhelming. He wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but it was quite impressive. The whole living room, every available surface, covered in shopping bags. An assortment from all kinds of different stores.

Hearing him enter, Patty turned from the mirror she was admiring herself in to the doorway. Liz followed suit from the other, placed symmetrically on the other side of the room. They'd kept their end of the deal- the outfits they were wearing matched. And he had to admit, they didn't have bad taste. The tops were half-length, but still kept a tidy look. A deep pink in colour, over top they wore a white tie and cream jacket, with a fashion-savvy version of a cowboy hat. The only difference was their jeans, Patty wearing shorts while Liz chose full length. His eyebrow twitched at that, but he was still fairly pleased with their choice. Liz in particular, all things considered, had been oddly cooperative. That was something, at least.

"Hiya Kid!" Patty leaped over a collection of bags to where he was standing, waving furiously. "Aren't these clothes cool? I've never worn something that cost so much before!" Her beaming face was contagious, and Kid couldn't help but smile back. At least she was happy. Well, that said, he'd never seen her anything but since he'd met her.

Liz didn't seem to be as irritated as she was earlier. Her brow wasn't crinkled into a sour frown, and even if she still didn't radiate the same happiness that Patty did, her soul didn't flare with so much anger anymore. Even so, he knew he couldn't leave what had happened the previous night unaddressed. The distance it had created between them wasn't going to close itself.

Kid knew he was teetering very shakily between the difference of them leaving or staying. To find weapons with symmetry as beautiful as theirs was would be difficult at the least. And as much as he didn't want to rush things, for fear of pushing Liz further away, putting it off too long would do the same. It was a balancing act, trying to get past the tension and distrust so that a true relationship could build. Trying to perfect resonance like this wouldn't happen. But he couldn't avoid practice, either. From what he'd read, in one of the most popular readings by one of Shibusen's top graduates in Phasmology, a connection between souls was the best way to ease any unfamiliarity with a partner.

Mind you, this partnership wasn't going to be textbook.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves" Kid answered, glancing to one of the two clocks in the room.

"Now, if there's nothing else you really need to do right now, there's no time like the present to practice resonance..."

**A/N: When researching for this chapter, I found out that to neutralize disorder, you should put some pink in your life. And I aww'd out loud, I really did. Makes me want to write more about soul colours, and the like...**  
**Oh, and this is drifting into KidLiz territory, but I will leave it up to the reader to interpret it. You can view it as friendship or romance, whatever floats your ship.**

**So that's the chapter under the belt. Once again, I'm sorry it sucked. I'm just... I dunno, it really wasn't working for me, and it still feels a bit iffy. Part two will be better, I swear! Maybe you could drop a review to get me inspired for the incoming angst... -jumps to keyboard and begins to type furiously-**


	9. Electra Heart (Illuminate Part II)

**A/N: Alright, here we go with chapter nine! Thanks for the reassurance on the last one, I feel much better about it now.  
Also, I now have an absolutely fantastic new beta for this story. Thanks again doll :)  
As promised, here's the extra long (well, for this fic) part two. That's why it took a little longer. Enjoy this folks, the next will probably be another short one. **

**Oh, and touch wood is the same as knock on wood. Just find the page on wikipedia is you're really confused.**

**Chapter Nine**

Electra Heart (Illuminate Part II)

A week. For a week, without fail, the trio had practiced resiliently to try and resonate souls.

Every time they had failed.

As much as he shouldn't have been surprised, Kid couldn't help but feel a bit of frustration. They had made a few small improvements, but nothing significant or groundbreaking. Things seemed to be moving at a very slow pace.

But, he supposed, at least they were moving at all. On day one they couldn't even shoot, much to Patty's amusement and Liz's frustration. They didn't misfire anymore, by the end of day three they'd ensured that. And yet, by the end of day seven, yesterday, the bullets weren't doing very impressive damage. You could shoot someone, and they'd probably struggle to even feel it.

So, resonance wise, progress was slow. But it was happening. Very small successes, one at a time, seemed to be the way to go. Liz still kept her soul very much to herself and her sister, but that was alright, because the barrier she'd put around herself was thinning. As reluctant as she was about it, she was warming to a much easier life – one where she didn't have to fight to find a meal. What she wasn't warming to so quickly was the idea that she had to live with a reaper.

Much to his surprise though, they'd been able to talk quite a bit. He had thought that she would avoid him. But he quickly found she was the type of person that would face things head on, with grit teeth and a forced smile. It always ended up that one of them would ask a question, and another, until they'd been talking for much longer than they'd meant to. It was only at those times that she wasn't so cold to him, that she wouldn't snap at him so easily. When they talked, she started to relax slowly, until their conversation wasn't so chipped. Those were the only times that their souls felt a little bit closer to each other. They didn't last, however. It was as if she would suddenly snap herself out of it, and talk to him again the same way she had on the streets. Other times she tried really too hard to be nice, but those were short-lived.

By some miracle, he'd even been able to teach them a bit of phasmology, just a few very basic things. In turn, the girls had taught him a bit about themselves- just a small insight into who they were. However, those lessons weren't on purpose. Piece by piece, they were warming to him. Everything was so new for all three of them though. And as disorderly as everything was to start, they had begun to form a pattern. After all, for a week together, their relationship wasn't too shabby.

In fact, touch wood, things could be a hell of a lot worse.

Now they were headed to their eighth day of practice together. And Kid had decided that they were ready for something a little different. Things had been going fairly smoothly so far, so maybe it was time to up the pace. There was really no point in wasting time; the best way to keep them interested would be to keep them busy. Eight was a good number, too.

Patty skipped, spring in her step, right beside Kid. Her eyes were wide, drinking in every detail around her, the same way she had when he'd first taken her to the manor. It seemed she was always careful not to wander away too far, though. She always bounced back to her sister and her new meister whenever she dropped behind, or leaped further ahead. He wasn't sure if it was because she wanted to be near them both, or because Liz had trained her to stay close. Either was likely.

The eldest Thompson wasn't having such a grand time. Her arms were crossed over her chest, fingers tapping against her arm. Even if her soul had calmed significantly, it still held some lingering anger from their confrontation. "Why do we have to practice like this?" She grumbled, scuffing her feet heavily along the pavement. "Why can't ya' just... Point and shoot?" As much as he was sure she knew the answer, she asked anyway, in another one of her attempts to get out of the daily grind of their practices. As much as she disliked him, she seemed to hate resonating with him the most.

Kid picked a non-existent piece of dust off his sleeve. "You know that it's more than that." He muttered, turning his head to eye her carefully. She was taller than him by at least a head. Avoiding his look quickly, her tongue darted out over her lip. A light sigh through her nose was all the reply she had.

As a trio, they weren't ready to attempt anything spectacular. He knew, however, that it was worth an attempt to try and shape a more stable and permanent level of resonance.

In doing so, there was a chance that he could snap the last threads that tied them together completely, severing the delicate link entirely. If that happened, it could demolish any hope of a full resonance. Souls were delicate. It was risky. But at this point, he didn't have much of a choice. If they simply stayed where they were, it could have the same effect. Shying away from a stronger connection was not the way forward.

Sure, Liz was right; he was able to fire a few bullets. But he had no control over their intensity. They would be likely to barely even leave a bruise. The power of a pair, or in this case a trio, depended on both the strength of the meister's and the weapon's souls, as well as their resonance rate. The first wasn't a problem at the moment, and wouldn't be for a while. But to find some sort of stable link through all three of them was the more imperative issue.

They could achieve it. They had the ability. It was the will that was the problem. Most pairs wanted desperately to reach a perfect resonance, so they weren't facing the same barrier Kid had when he held Liz. The way she blocked herself off meant he could do nothing. Somehow, he needed to show her that he was trustworthy, that he genuinely wanted the pair to be his weapons.

Easier said than done. And seeing that it was ultimately up to Liz, he didn't have much of an influence on where they ended up. All he could do was pull them together as best he could, and hope for the best.

It wasn't long before they reached the edge of the city. They passed through the clearing which lead them into the forested area, owned mostly by Shibusen. Many students came here to practice, especially if they were having trouble. Even if they visited late in the day, there were always a stray fewhanging around. The presence of souls past and present echoed through the trees. This was a place where resonance was either achieved or failed, so it was only natural. There was a bit of an urban legend among students that if you were having trouble resonating, this was the place to be.

"So... Why do we come here anyway?" Liz asked him, breaking the silence that was between the two, only previously interrupted by Patty's humming. He could tell that despite the way she detested practice, she still seemed to appreciate the usually tranquil area they used.

"This is a place where students of my father's academy come to practice." Kid clarified, glancing through the clearings he could spot. "Since we're usually around pretty late in the day, most students have already left-"

"Wait a sec..." Liz cut him off, an eyebrow raised. "You... Aren't an academy student?" The confusion on her face was clear, but Kid didn't understand it. Sometimes he forgot that there was still so little they knew about each other.

"No, I'm not." He confirmed, and the look on her face implied she'd like him to elaborate. A glance over at Patty confirmed the suspicion that she wasn't listening. Her attention was fixed onto a butterfly, which happened to flutter by. The youngest weapon did have a particularly short attention span.

This was a calming place to be, and though he hadn't visited often, he understood how it could subtly sooth tension between souls. Even if it wasn't true, they could use all the help they could get. The sun sitting low in the sky cast out a deep orange glow, one that had started to stain the clear blue of day to purple. The greenery seemed to glow under the rays. He was distracted for a second, before he turned back to Liz. "As a reaper, my understanding of the curriculum taught at Shibusen is already extensive. Academy matters are not much of my concern, my father assigns me missions that require my specific skills."

"You are a real live god, aren't ya?" She mumbled, her expression briefly losing its snarl. But before Kid could even get his hopes up, she once again turned hostile, scoffing her own comment off. "I mean, you'd have to be, to be such a brat." It was easy to see she was unsure of her own words. Huffing, she pretended to show disinterest. She wasn't as edged as she was when they'd first met, some of the tension had diffused, and yet they were still worlds apart.

Patty bounded back over. Apparently, her ears were a lot more sensitive than he thought. "I wanna meet Kid's dad!" She babbled happily, smile spread across her face. "I never knew mine, so I wanna know what they're like."

He turned, a confused expression on his face. "You never knew your dad?" As soon as he'd said it however, he regretted it, realizing what a stupid question it was. It should have been no surprise. And it was a pretty insensitive thing to say.

Opening his mouth to apologize, Liz cut the conversation there. "H-hey Kid, what're they doing over there?"

She pointed through the trees, to a weapon and meister pair. A blond girl with pigtails gripped tightly onto a scythe, that had blood red and black triangles. Her brow was pinched into a determined frown. Spinning the weapon in her hands, she demonstrated fluidity that suggested a fairly long partnership with it. The blade caught any light, reflecting it in bright white rays running along it. By appearance, they looked fairly advanced.

"Ya' ready, Soul?" The girl asked, bringing the twirling scythe to a stop. Kid caught a glimpse of the weapon's face in the blade, a grin with sharp teeth. A voice vibrated from the scythe, but what it said was unclear. The girl was apparently satisfied with whatever answer it had given. The trio watched as she raised him back behind her head, and both weapon and meister yelled together. "Let's go, soul resonance!" A blue glow washed over them. He felt Patty beside him putting a hand over her brow, leaning in for a closer look.

"The legendary skill of the scythe master, Witch Hunter!" The weapon sparked violently, white and blue, as a second blade almost flickered to life - almost. They were close, but the connection between the two was not right. Sure enough, the aura shattered like glass, the girl dropping to her knees and letting go of her weapon. Those two had a long way to go.

They walked on, hearing the girl yell at the scythe, weapon retaliating. "They were trying to achieve a full resonance in their souls." Kid answered to Liz's question, glancing back to see the scythe returned to his human form. "But that's a fair way off for us yet. Out circumstances right now are different to theirs."

She seemed relieved at that. Looking back at the pair for as long as she could, who were now having a heated argument (something about... fat ankles?), and only lost sight of them when they walked into one of the cleared spaces.

"Girls, please transform, and we'll get started." Kid asked, holding his hands back to where they both stood behind him. His eyes were already closed, ready to once again try to bridge the gaps separating them. If all went well, then they could make large amounts of progress today. A little bit of success might even be enough to soften Liz a bit.

If he could sustain enough of a link, it was possible for him to start shaping the space in between all three of their souls, where they would communicate between their resonance – not through the physical world. It sounded complicated, but it was easy to achieve with a strong enough connection. Just close your eyes, and enter the gap between you and your partners' souls. Reach out to them, close that gap, and achieve a full resonance. In theory, it was doable. But putting it into practice was a different story. It was possible that, for the moment at least, the three of them would only be able to have their own spaces.

They might not even be able to manage that. He couldn't tell. At this point, he wasn't the one in control. Until Liz opened her soul, there was nothing he could do. And that decision would only be hers to make.

A flash of pink, and they'd swirled into the air. Sparks flashed as their human shape morphed and twisted into light. Catching the rosy streams, he spun them quickly, pink light shattering off to reveal the pistols. At least he could feel their wavelengths. It was odd holding them when they weren't yet in full resonance though. Like he was hypersensitive to the fact they were very much alive, two very different personalities, but in identical forms. And, he was very much aware of how much heavier Liz was. They were slipping away from each other, souls falling even more out of sync. Maybe as people they'd become a touch closer, but their souls were as far away as ever.

Kid shook off the thought of the unbalanced weight. To distract himself and to get on with it, he held them both up, aiming at a tree a good twenty meters away. If he was right, then the shots still wouldn't cause too much damage, so using the foliage would do for now. The sisters moved with his movements too, and he felt them hum gently in his hands. Taking a breath through his nose, he squeezed the triggers, two shots in quick succession.

The bullets looked quite impressive. They were the same deep pink that the girls were when they transformed, and were just as bright. A small amount of heat bled off them into the air. But despite being much more to look at than an ordinary bullet, they did a lot less damage. It was as he expected, the trunk of the tree showed barely any sign of the bullets that had hit it. Just like the last three times they'd been here.

A glint of light, and Liz's face appeared on one of the pistols. Her mouth was open in a small 'o' shape, eyebrow raised a notch. "Your... wavelength is so powerful... H-how come we still can't blow that tree to pieces?" she muttered. As if to confirm that she was seeing things right, she craned her neck to look again.

"We aren't in high enough resonance for the bullets to cause any damage." He observed, speaking to himself as much as he was speaking to the weapon. Patty's face sparked in the cool metal a moment later, but her smile was smaller than usual. In fact, her expression almost matched her sisters.

That pretty much settled it. There was no way he could fight with their resonance in this state. The connection between all three of them was weak, and the bullets reflected that. "Liz, Patty, I really need you to focus for a second now. Can you do that?" Kid asked, grip on them tightening slightly.

Liz only nodded slightly, expression dubious. Patty, however, had much more confidence, nodding furiously with a smile on her face. "Sure Kid, what do ya' want us to do?" The younger seemed to pick up on the subtle change in his tone, and was instantly hooked onto his every word. As much as the reaper appreciated her enthusiasm, at this point he would rather hear it from Liz. This was a crucial step towards being able to fight, and if something went wrong it could spell the end of a very short-lived team.

"I am going to try and communicate to you both through the link we have between our souls." He explained, eyes already falling closed. As the meister, it was up to him to do most of the work. Even though he was pretty sure he could do it, it wouldn't work unless they both played their part too. They each had a part to play; every piece had to fit into its place. "Hopefully, we'll be able to meet in the space between our souls, and complete the link that way. Basically, we're meeting each other halfway."

Something seemed to hit a chord with Liz. Her eyes narrowed slightly, head tilting a bit. It was as if she had gained a bit of confidence, was a bit surer of herself. "Okay, let's try it then." She smirked, following Kid's lead and closing her own eyes. Patty did the same, after strongly agreeing with her sister, eyes shut up tight.

With a deep breath, and one last hope that this would work, he fell into an inky black void.

* * *

It was dark, oppressively so. As much as it encased him, in a way that under any other circumstance would make him panic, it felt comfortable. There was no temperature or gravity – he didn't even have to breathe. The air wasn't thick, but floating in it felt a bit like swimming through water.

This was inside the gap between their souls.

At least he'd made it here. That showed that the three of them at least had enough of a link to form this space. And beyond that, he could feel that they'd both made it too. A relief indeed. Things were going better than he'd expected at this point, which was a welcome surprise. But there wasn't much to celebrate yet. After all, that was only the first step. Now he had to find them – which could prove difficult, as he wasn't even entirely sure just how large this space was.

His whole body glowed. He hadn't done this before, entering a gap formed by resonance, but he was well aware of how it worked. Flexing his fingers experimentally, holding his hand out in front of him, he could see he was shining in bright golden. Interesting. Quickly reminding himself that he had to find both of the sisters, he called out to them, reaching out to catch their wavelengths. Once they were all together, then they wouldn't be encased in such darkness. That was the goal.

He thought he saw a spark in the corner of his eye. Only a moment later did the presence of another soul strengthen. Faintly, distantly, he felt Patty calling back to him. It was far away, but the distance was closing, the calls growing louder and stronger. He knew that if anything, they would be able to find each other. She was reaching for him, following the guidance of her meister. Their souls were finding one another. Patty had a strong instinct, and an even stronger will, which drew her to him like a magnet. As a weapon and meister should, they searched for one another, reaching through even the suffocating darkness.

He reached his hand out. Fingers outstretched, he thought he saw another light start to spark in the distance. They were so close now, that they couldn't possibly lose each other. Just a little bit further...

Sure enough, as his other arm rose out in front of him, he found both his hands linked with hers. Fingers entwining, they had finally gotten a hold on the other. Her body lit up, blond bangs swirling over her forehead in the lack of gravity.

"Found ya'!" Patty giggled, body encased in a powerful magenta aura. She shone brighter when she'd reached him, glow extending further to illuminate the darkness around them – as did his own. Their resonance was much stronger now that they'd found each other, but that didn't mean it was complete. Eventually, their connection needed to be strong enough to hold while their consciousness was in the physical world. That was leaps and bounds away though. This was a pretty good start, all things considered. Even if they still didn't completely match, didn't fit together absolutely, they were well on their way at this rate.

The weapon's blue eyes were wide, hand gripping tightly to Kid. It was... humbling, in a way. She trusted him completely, taking a belief opposite to her sister. Patty was readily willing to dedicate herself to this, even if she wasn't entirely sure of what exactly she was doing. He took a conscious note to make sure that trust was not misplaced. They'd only known each other for a week, and yet her faith in him was overwhelming. Maybe he was thinking about it much more than she herself was. Still, he thanked her silently. They were so different really, but souls did have an odd way of choosing whom they matched with.

Now they had to find Liz. This connection to Patty, it was a feeling he'd never really experienced before. And all they had to do to complete it was for the eldest to join. She should, she could, but the question was if she would. Would she? Having a link to another soul was a connection that went far in creating a strong bond. It was possible you may only know someone for a few weeks, but if you resonated souls then your relationship may be stronger than a bond between people who'd known each other for years. Souls were very sensitive to one another, after all.

That said, she would have to take a complete leap of faith. There was no 'half' effort in this. And Kid wasn't sure that even if they found her, that she would be willing to trust him enough.

Hell, he didn't really blame her. She had every right to be suspicious. However, even if it was still very early days, a seed of doubt wouldn't take much to grow. The best way forward for them as a team would be this level of resonance.

But that wasn't the only issue. Souls were fragile, and even if he was a reaper he was no exception. In this space emotions were heightened, and any of them could act without thinking first. Worst case scenario, if he became frustrated, or unable to connect when his instinct screamed to, he might retaliate. He wasn't exactly sure what exactly would happen then, but it wouldn't take much to damage their link – and a lot more to fix it. It wasn't likely that would happen, but it was a possibility. He kept it in mind as he glanced around for any sign of the older pistol.

"Hey Kid, Let's go find Liz." Patty was eager, her body glowing in a way even brighter than his own. She was the main beacon in this darkness, as she was the only connection between all three of them. In fact, it wasn't for her, he and Liz would probably have no connection at all.

He hated that. The way they were pushing away from each other so early on. How do you begin to link to someone so different? Patty was the opposite; she was as willing as Kid was. And now he had to find a way for Liz to trust him, to try and show her that he was serious. How long would it take? Would she ever fully have faith in him?

Agreeing, they both cast out their wavelengths to search for her, glow dissipating into the darkness. Since the two of them had connected, the thick black surrounding them had begun to thin. It was possible to see light bouncing of walls, but where exactly they were was hard to say. That was a step in the right direction. The room all three of their subconscious's would form for their resonance was beginning to take shape.

Patty had her eyes shut tight, and he saw her starting to feel something- staring to get a sense of where Liz was. She seemed to be able to get an idea of where to go. Reluctantly letting go of one of Kid's hands, she reached into the dark. He was disappointed that he couldn't feel a thing. Even with the younger weapon leading him, he really didn't know where they were going. And even when Patty started to move faster, swimming through the pitch black towards something unseen, he didn't even get a spark. Not a flicker of resonance with the eldest Thompson. The only thing he did know was that she was here, somewhere.

Still, he couldn't help but get the feeling that they were getting closer to her. Patty seemed to believe that they weren't far off now, and she began to reach forward more fervently. Kid was unable to feel anything concrete, but he couldn't help sensing a few stronger sparks of her wavelength. Then, pink fingers started to reach through the dark. A whole hand inched forward to Patty, who grabbed onto it eagerly. In the moment she did, the presence of Liz's wavelength rocked him like an electric current, hitting him all at one. It wasn't matching his own, so it wasn't very comfortable.

Her whole body appeared, shining in a slightly lighter pink than her little sister. The younger Thompson was grasping tightly to her hand, and the two tones of pink blended together. Patty had a tight link to her; their wavelengths matched with an ease he didn't think he'd seen before. It was unusual for one weapon to be able to wield another, but with their souls so close Kid could see how they managed it so easily.

Unfortunately, the way he matched her was pitiful in comparison. In fact, it was only thanks to his reaper soul that they were able to have any connection whatsoever. He could barely even see her. From Patty's hand, the glow of the sister's bodies merged, but it faded off the farther away she was. Liz's arm was all he could see clearly; the rest of her body was a flickering blur. She hadn't had it in herself to trust him. As much as he wanted to reach out to her, there was no use in it. Biting his lip, the hand not currently held onto the younger balled into a fist as he considered what he was supposed to do next. This was not the problem most teams faced. He'd never heard of it happening before.

Suddenly, there was a blinding flash. A searing, bright white burned his eyes, and a moment after he'd seen it he was hit by it. There was no time even to brace himself. It felt as if an electric charge had ripped through him, throwing him away from the sisters with gut-wrenching force. The wind was completely knocked from his lungs; he didn't even get a chance to cry out in surprise and shock. With a loud 'oof' he landed on his back, blades of grass pricking at his skin.

Kid's whole body was shaking. Every single one of his limbs had pins and needles, and spots of light danced across his eyes. Closing them tightly, he took a gasping, chipped breath in, his whole body completely paralyzed. For a moment, he could do nothing more than lie there in absolute shock. It wasn't that he was in pain; it was just that he was completely stunned. But it was only a moment, because once he'd recollected his thoughts, a wave of anguish washed through him. A sharp intake of air made him choke and he coughed loudly, rolling onto his elbow for support.

He had done this.

It was unbelievable. Kid thought he had it under control; thought that the possibility of his wavelength retaliating like that was unthinkable. Sure, a small amount of frustration was understandable, but that? That was huge. Blinking open his eyes, he scanned the grass for the sisters, who had been thrown away too.

Liz was already on her feet, pulling a dazed Patty up too. At least they were okay. If he'd hurt them, and, God, was it a miracle he didn't, he wouldn't be able to live with himself. No. The fact that it had happened in the first place was enough. A wave of nausea took hold, and he wrapped an arm around his stomach.

"Kid!" Patty yelped, rushing over to where he was sitting. Liz followed quickly after, with a look of shock etched into her features. The younger dropped beside him, shaking his shoulders lightly. "Kid! Are you okay? What happened?"

What was he supposed to say? "I-I..." He started, but he couldn't say anything. His throat had turned to ice, choking him and causing his chest to burn. Everything was blurred. Grabbing a fistful of hair, he fought his voice past his lips. "I am so sorry." Suddenly, a choked sob wracked his body. Words tumbled from his mouth, disjointed and incomplete. "Useless! Worthless! Trash!" His eyes had begun to sting and he closed them tightly, voice becoming more and more strangled. "Pathetic! I'm garbage!"

The sisters seemed alarmed with the sudden outburst. Liz especially. Patting him awkwardly on the back, she crouched down next to Patty. "H-hey, c'mon, it's not that big of a deal..."

He barely even heard her. More self-loathing was the only response she got. "I-I, can't do anything right... It's all wrong! And unbalanced! I should just die!"

For a moment, Patty looked as if she might've laughed. Liz cast her a very dirty look at that. But she just smiled and pat him on the shoulder. "C'mon Kid! Y'know that stuff's not true. Let's just try again. We'll get it right next time!"

But the oldest blonde just put a hand on her sister's shoulder, casting one last glance to the crumpled boy beside her. "Maybe we should just... leave it for today..."

* * *

Liz felt sick. A sour taste sat in the back of her throat, fingers twitching for a cigarette. Even if she had no problem bending the law, she'd always taken it upon herself not to harm anyone if it wasn't necessary. She did what she had to in order to survive – going beyond that was a whole new level she refused to sink to. So back then... What had come over her? What did she think she had to gain? She never expected anything like that to happen.

_I'm sorry, Kid._

**A/N: The first breakdown everyone! I'm sorry Kiddo...**  
**I'm going to have a few cameos from other Soul Eater characters. Yes, Soul and Maka everyone!**  
**And man, I just realized that this story had a whole lot of my headcanons, especially when it comes to stuff about resonance. I hope y'all don't mind. Aaaand I made Kid's soul gold. So sue me, it suits him better than red.**  
**Remember, that this story runs of feedback, so if ya' wanna see more you've gotta review! Even if you don't, thanks for sticking with me this far, dear readers. Till next time!**


	10. Wicked Witch

**A/N: Okay, not a lot happens in this chapter. But it's pretty damn important for the story. It's a big chapter for both Liz and Kid, but Patty quite literally slept through it. :P  
By the way, I just bought myself Imagine Dragon's album Night Visions, and it is incredible. It's been a great inspiration for me in my writing. I strongly suggest you listen to 'Demons' while reading this, because it had a great influence on this chapter. And it's a great song.  
Oh, and I hope you didn't come here for fluff. How I love to torture my favorite characters! Btw, there's blood in this chapter, and will be in future chapters too. Nothing too graphic, just a warning if you desperately can't cope with that. **

**Chapter Ten**

Wicked Witch

He thought he did it. Kid thought he was the one who'd blown apart their resonance, and he was totally wrong.

So now, things weren't the same. Not exactly, anyway. Before this things had been looking up. It was like she might actually have it in her to stop being so paranoid, and simply see the places he could take the sisters. That was, of course, until their practice four days ago. Now they were sliding on a very slippery slope, and were losing touch with each other fast. They'd only been out to two very short practices since, and both times they were practically back to square one.

And Liz couldn't stop thinking about what she'd done. She swore, she'd never meant to... hurt him, not like that. The way he collapsed, broke down. No one could fake it. This whole time, she'd been absolutely _horrible _to him. And he was genuinely trying to help her. As fucked up as it was, he was just a freak that needed symmetry.

Even if he was also a god, a brat, and absolutely loaded.

And now, thinking that she was hoping to _steal_ from him... Was she really so naïve to believe that? She'd felt his wavelength, the power it held firsthand. It was almost terrifying. Yet, he'd opened his soul to theirs, and she'd attacked it with her own. But that wasn't even the worse part. The sisters weren't even hurt, not a scratch on them, and he acted as if he'd blown their arms off. Liz forced herself to do nothing but watch as he tore himself apart over it.

And because of it, only now did she have a true understanding of Kid's obsessions. It was like nothing she'd ever even heard about, let alone seen. They were nothing short of crippling. Seemingly small things to her could cause his calm and cool persona to shatter. He would collapse, sometimes even cry, and morph into what was like a totally different person. Like a demon, a whole different part of him that swallowed him whole. That too, was terrifying.

Usually Patty was the one to pull him out of it. Liz tried, she really did, but she couldn't bring herself to be the comfort he needed. Most of the time she'd give up trying to convince him to pull himself together, and leave in frustration. Then she would have to spend the next few hours feeling guilty as he tried to fix whatever wasn't right. Guilt was all she'd ever felt these past few days, something she hadn't felt in a long time.

When he did go into a symmetry fit, it crushed her too. That boy, curled in a heap on the floor, he was the one that she was planning to rob blind. It made emotion well within her that she couldn't even explain, something caught between anger and sadness, with a huge weight of guilt. By appearance, by first glance, he was more than fine. He was a rich, powerful reaper. But within moments, over such little things like tilted picture frames, he became a mess.

How could she leave him? How could she find it in her to walk out the door with his money, knowing that he was suffering from an obsession that could take someone so strong to a sobbing heap? How did she even think she could get his money in the first place? And why was she still worrying about that now!

There was one thing she did know: leaving would be running away. And Liz Thompson absolutely did not run away.

But she really didn't know what to do. Things could be great right now, they could have been forming a fantastic level of resonance. But she had, well, attacked was a strong word, but then again it was pretty much what she had done. She had smashed what he was so carefully trying to shape, and she had shattered it, broken it to pieces.

Kid dealt with broken things worse than he did asymmetrical things. And that was saying something.

But Liz didn't have it in her to correct him. She let him believe he was the one who had severed it, and the one who had hurt them. When nothing could be further from the truth. As sorry as she was, she couldn't tell him. He would hate her. Kick her out. Stop seeing her as beautifully symmetrical and start seeing her as hideous. For some reason, now she cared what he thought.

When the thought she didn't want to be kicked out crossed her mind, she suppressed it instantly. But still, it nagged her quietly, as she began to realize how childish it was to have been so nasty to him. All he wanted was two symmetrical weapons, and he'd been willing to try to get through to her to get that. All he'd done so far was give, and ask for so little.

We blow up a few monsters, and we get the life we've always wanted. One off the streets.

It was only now she'd realized that she _wanted_ to stay.

And that thought didn't give her the mercy of dawning on her, oh no. Reality was much too cruel for that. It hit her like a slap to the face and a scream in her ear. At one a.m, in fact, four days after... the incident.

A loud smash had woken her up. Her eyes had shot open as she was ripped from her dream, senses waking up a beat slower. Using the shattering echoes of the initial clattering to anchor herself to the waking world, she blinked slowly. Propping herself up on her shoulder, she glanced to Patty beside her, who was still deep in sleep. Her little sister always was one who could snooze through the apocalypse.

Liz peered through the inky darkness of the bedroom. Eyes adjusting slowly, she looked towards the faint light bleeding through under the closed door. It was then it dawned on her dozing mind – Kid must have caused the smash. Before anything else, a coil of worry wound its way through her stomach. It barely took a second before she was pushing off the covers and standing. There was no way she could get back to sleep anyway. And there was an insistent nagging in the back of her head that willed her feet to move.

The door clicked softly as she opened it. Sparing one last glance to Patty, who still slept soundly, she padded down the stairs towards the source of light. It was coming from the living room, an artificial glare that made her tired eyes wince. She rubbed at them wearily before pushing though the half-closed doorway, words slurred and mumbled. "Hey, what's with all the-"

Her words trailed off. Feet freezing in place, her eyes widened, breath catching in her throat. It felt as if time had stopped for a moment, to give her a chance to take in the scene in front of her.

Most of the room was as it always was. Everything was lined up to scrutinized perfection, down to the very last millimeter. Despite the harsh precision of each piece's placement, it had begun to feel a little more like it couldn't have been any other way, and it was as close to having a real home than Liz had ever been. But the flawlessness of the room only magnified what was wrong within it. Despite the way her mind was at a halt, the thought briefly crossed that maybe this was how Kid saw every little thing. Tiny details magnified to gaping flaws. This thought was also the one that snapped her to her senses.

He was sitting on the floor, in a way she'd already seen far too many times. But this seemed to pale the others in comparison. The mirrors on the walls of the room, placed exactly across from each other, now wore spider web shatter across them. They cast the light in an uncomfortable way. Despite the disorder, the scene still held a more bitter sense of symmetry, with the raven haired boy sitting in the middle. Shards were scattered around him, and held tightly in his hand. So tight that thin trails of blood dripped from his fingers to his wrists. The crimson was an almost sickening contrast to the pale white of his skin. He wasn't completely still, either – his body shook silently with sobs.

As if to greet her, he spoke quietly, in a surprisingly calm contrast to the way he looked. "I can't fix it," was all he said. If she hadn't been looking at him, she could have closed her eyes and imagined the cool, calm Kid was speaking. It made a connection to this side of him that chilled her to the bone. Before now, it was like two different people. Now she'd seen that they were the same person, and it made her chest clench.

He may look black and white, but he had a spectrum of colours his very own. This was the red that coated his palm.

Suddenly, she was by his side. Her hands hovered over his for a moment, before she laid them over top. She paid no mind to the crimson now covering her own fingers. He barely reacted, but his breath was losing its shudder. It was a bit like being there had snapped him to his senses. Gently, she tried to pry open his hand, an attempt to stop the shards digging into his skin.

She only succeeded in causing his grip to tighten. Blood dripped faster, the streaks staining his skin thickening as more glass pressed into his palms. It almost made her scream in frustration, how it was so hard to help, that no matter what she did she seemed to cause Kid grief. Liz almost left, almost ran to get the blood off her hands.

But Liz Thompson did. Not. Run.

"Kid, you have to let go." Her voice was almost a whisper, softer than she thought she was capable of. Her eyes were wide and pleading. He still hadn't looked up to her. It didn't take an expert, however, to know tears streamed down his cheeks. Her words did seem to have some impact though, and his gripped softened just enough. Peeling open his fingers, she set to pick out each shard, one by one. Thankfully, most were large, pieces that he must've frantically scrambled to grab. As she worked, she heard his breathing slow. Soon he had stopped shaking. He didn't even flinch as each piece was plucked out of its respective gash, wounds that should have been deep enough to be quite painful. So she worked quickly, and tried to be as gentle as she could. Halfway through, she realized her hands had been shaking as well.

A light sigh passed her lips as the last fragment of mirror was taken from where it had embedded in his hand. It was a sigh of relief, one that matched Kid's of fatigue. Finally, finally, he looked up, eyes tired and faded. He swallowed hard before he spoke, answering her look that pleaded for an explanation. "My hair, Liz... The lines... They're asymmetrical-"

Liz cut him off, but it wasn't the way that she usually snapped at him. "It doesn't matter, Kid. It really doesn't." Her voice was carefully hushed and gentle, a voice she'd only ever used with Patty on their worst days.

This was a pretty awful day for him.

She didn't want to know how hating his hair had caused both mirrors to smash. The same way Kid clearly didn't want to explain. Instead of pressing for an answer, she stood, holding onto his scarred hands to pull him up too. At first, he refused. "They're still broken..." He mumbled. Stopping him before he could look at the asymmetrical cracks in what remained of the mirrors, she tugged a bit harder, and he gave in.

"Doesn't matter. I'll clean it up. We can get new mirrors." Her speech was wooden, voice stern as she pulled him into one of the symmetrical bathrooms. If anything, the restored order around him could serve to calm him down a bit. She didn't know much about how to deal with this sort of thing, but she was learning what worked. Sometimes you needed to be a bit sympathetic, when they were this bad, but sometimes you just needed to tell him to get over himself. Sometimes, both.

It seemed he didn't have it in him to protest further about the mirrors. Filling the basin with warm water and a splash of disinfectant, Liz dipped both of their hands in, watching as the blood which hadn't yet dried mixed through the water in deep red ribbons.

It came as a surprise to her that his wounds were almost nonexistent. Only the largest of them were still open and bleeding, the others were just red lines and scrapes. She didn't think too much of it though, because he seemed to be much more composed now. "I'm sorry." He said flatly. "I can't help it. It's not your burden; you shouldn't feel obligated to help."

Giggles welled in her stomach, and under different circumstances she might've laughed. Was he serious? No good person could've left him in that state, and even if Liz wasn't the best person in the world she was no exception. "You've had to deal with this a long time, haven't you?" She smiled, but it was bittersweet.

"Ever since I can remember." Kid replied, occupying himself by watching ripples of red against the white porcelain. "I've always had it. It just... happens. I have no control over it at all, most of the time I don't even realize it's happening until..." He trailed off, but Liz understood fully what he was saying. It felt like he was spilling his darkest secrets to her. Sharing a weight he had carried for so long.

Everything that she had done to him clenched her chest, and a wave of guilt she was far too familiar with wound through the pit of her stomach. It was like she saw him through new eyes, saw him past his skin-deep impression she'd seen first and into something much bigger. She thought she knew him, a rich and strong god with something against her. It almost hurt, to think how wrong she was. Yes, the god part was right, but they had a lot left to learn about each other.

And the fact he'd had it all his life... She didn't dare to think what it was like when there was no one to help at one in the morning.

"It's okay." Was it? Probably not. But the words felt right. Even if neither of them were okay. And that was why she had to stay, because the guilt of leaving him when she knew things were like this was unbearable. If she did that, then she might as well lose her soul. Because there would be no hope for her.

She wasn't going to stay out of pity for him, he didn't need it and she didn't want to give it. She was staying for reasons that she couldn't really describe herself. The thought that they could help each other, perhaps.

It felt as if she'd suddenly broken away from her anger, and her hatred. It was impossible for it to disappear in an instant, of course. But suddenly it was like she could see what she was doing, who she was, and she knew it was time for a change. Time to shed off the way she acted to survive in Brooklyn, and shape into someone who could make this work.  
_  
Oh god, it's starting to sound like I'm a character in some crappy, midday TV drama..._

Washing the water, now tinted with blood, down the sink, Liz insisted on bandaging Kid's hands. Despite his insistence in telling her he was fine, she still wrapped them, if only for her own reassurance. So they sat across from each other, as she carefully wound the bandage around his palms. The flow of blood now was barely a trickle. But she didn't think too much of how quickly the wounds had healed. She was too busy mulling over other things. The silence between them was thick, and despite the comfort of it, she'd worked up the courage to break it when she'd moved onto his left hand. "How often is it that bad?" Liz asked, eyes staying fixed on his hands as she worked.

Kid looked up at her through black bangs. "It doesn't happen too much." He said, his voice slightly quieter than usual. "But at least once a month I suppose, depending."

She cut the end of the bandage after securing it, gathering the courage to meet gold eyes. They were still weary, the two tones of golden yellow not quite as brilliant. "Depending on what?" It was pressing her luck to ask, but she wanted to know. Perhaps she felt she had to.

"Circumstances." He shrugged his shoulder lightly, flexing his now wrapped hands. Liz understood his silent plea for her not to pry further. Early days, after all.

After fairly short-lived argument, she managed to send him off to bed. For a second she knew that she was acting a bit like his mother, like the one she was for Patty. She always had a strong parental instinct, even for people on the street, especially young kids that were kicked out like she was. The sisters would always be sure to give them whatever they could spare, like Robin Hood. Albeit a much less heroic version.

If she could find a scrap of good in her, that was it.

So she cleaned up the shards, wincing at the ones with spots of blood. The mirrors were taken down, and she made the mental note to buy replacements. Normally, she would have detested cleaning up like this. But she owed it to him, at the very least. Especially if she wanted to stay.

Which she now knew she did.

Even if she wasn't ready to let go of her old self in an instant, she was ready to begin to trust him. She could demolish the wall around her soul, and begin to reach out a bit herself. They would never be able to completely change for each other. But they could shake off the things holding them back, and meet halfway. A bit of time, and after learning to lean on each other, this might just work. As mad as it was.

The first thing she had to do? Tell the truth.  
_  
This could be harder than I thought._

**A/N: I know that Kid's obsessions are usually played for laughs, but I think I remember Liz saying at one point that he was a lot worse before the Thompsons came along. That's why this is a pretty dark take.**  
**You know by now how much I adore reviews. They're what keep me going, so every single one is appreciated! (I know I always beg for them, but they really do motivate me to better my writing. So pretty please?)**


	11. The Dragon's Den

**A/N: Oh wow, 44 reviews! Thank you guys so much, I'm so excited that the first story I'm brave enough to post somewhere has been so well received. Thank you to every single one of you still reading, and especially faving, following and reviewing. You're the greatest. **  
**That said, ****_I'm SO sorry that this took so long!_**** The holidays caught up to me, and before I knew it was Saturday and I'd written one paragraph of this D: Sorry! I'll hope you'll enjoy this chapter anyway...**

**Chapter Eleven**

**The Dragon's Den**

"We have a mission?"

The words ring through Liz's ears. Every single one echoes ominously, and even when they come from her own mouth they sound farfetched. There are just so many things wrong about it that she doesn't know where to begin. A mission already? They haven't even been here a fortnight yet! Then again, Kid never did say how often they'd be assigned one.

"Yes. My father wanted to give me a little more time with you both before we went ahead to collect souls, but this is an assignment that he says requires my specific attention..." Kid's voice trailed off as he shuffled through a few slips of paper, eyes darting over each page. He doesn't seem too fazed, but then again he doesn't appear to be very happy about it either.

The trio sat at the dining table, Patty munching on a bowl of Fruit Loops. She didn't pay much mind to the idea, her spoon clinking against the bowl as she stirred it. After he'd cast her a sideways glance, Kid must've decided to just let her be and explain to Liz instead – who wasn't in the best of moods. Even if she was used to very little sleep on the streets, it wasn't hard to grow accustomed to a full eight hours in a warm bed. But after cleaning up and going to bed last night, she hadn't been able to sleep again. Trying to come up with a way of telling Kid the truth had kept her eyes open, and she still didn't have a way of wording it. She'd planned to try and find time to explain today, but that idea was out the window now.

"Why's that?" Liz asked, a worried look managing to wind onto her face. Kishin as Kid had explained them were often the same sort of thing that had attacked him in the alley. In other words; really ugly, really creepy monsters. Apparently there were other kinds too, but if one was strong enough to maintain a mostly human form it was meant to be pretty powerful. That was almost more unnerving than if they were creepy. A shiver clawed up her spine at just the thought of it. Either way, it's pretty horrible.

"Take a look." He slid the folder across the table to her, which she reluctantly began to flick through. "There's a prison on a remote island not to far from here. It was high security, the only crime that no inmate was guilty of was devouring human souls and mutating into a kishin egg. A few inmates squeezed through a few holes in the system, and murdered most of the prisoners and guards. Only a few escaped."

Liz eyes widened as she read through the mission's briefing, the first page in the folder. It basically read what Kid had just told her, and it made her stomach churn nervously.

_Location: Zatralca Prison_

_An unknown number of inmates have overcome security to devour the souls of fellow inmates and guards. Mutation into kishin eggs has taken place._

_Number of targets: UNKNOWN_

_Target's stars: UNKNOWN_

_Priority: HIGH_

"Seems a little... vague." Liz waved her hand as she skimmed through the other pages. None of the information seemed particularly useful, just some background on the prison as well as a map. It felt very much as if they were running in blind. Surely they'd be given more to work of than this…

Kid nodded. "That's the problem. No one knows exactly what's happened. None of those who managed to escape could give us much more than this. We've gotten estimations on the number of rogue inmates ranging from ten to two hundred, with greatly varying levels of strength."

That only encouraged the nervousness. She was about to give the folder back, after realising there was nothing that she would find much use for, but the very last page caught her eyes. It was a profile on one of the inmates. Filthy blond hair, thick muscle, and a nose that had been broken one too many times. He wore dirty striped overalls, and a deadly grin that Liz thought replicated the one she must have worn when she mugged someone. Not much fun to look at. "Who's this?" She asked, holding the piece of paper for Kid to see.

"That's who they believe to be the ringleader of the whole thing. He was on the brink of becoming an egg before he was taken in. He goes by the name Urban, but records of his true details are lost." He chewed on his lip as Liz handed the files back to him. If she didn't know better, she would have said he was nervous too. God knew she was. How were they supposed to fight two hundred kishin? Kid would probably be better off without the pistols. At the moment, they were dead weights to him. With such ineffective bullets, how was he supposed to fight while wielding them? She may have only seen a slice of what he can do, but she doubted there was anyone who could face that many monsters and win.

Of course, the fact he couldn't was her fault.

Biting her cheek, she looked down at her fingernails. The sooner they'd patched everything up and moved on the better. But how easy it would be to do that was a whole different story. It was a bit like she was sitting between a rock and hard a place and both were closing in. She opened her mouth to speak, but Kid cut her off without realizing. "Come on then, if we leave now we can hopefully get back late tonight." He stood from the table, gathering up all the papers.

This caught Patty's attention. "Yeah! Let's go!" She took hold of her now empty bowl and headed toward the kitchen, leaving a very dazed Liz still seated.

"We're leaving right now?" Liz called after Kid, hearing Patty's giggling getting quieter as she left. Hesitantly, she stood from the table. Is this what he always did? Just... get up and go without any warning? That would be hard to get used to.

"No time like the present, Liz. If we leave now, and if we're lucky, we can be back late tonight." His head popped back through the doorway before he was gone again. That apparently settled the matter.

"Bu-But..." Liz felt a shudder claw up her back, and wrapped her arms around herself. Kid didn't know just how far her fear of... _creepy things_... went, but he soon would.

"I'm just going to go double-check the picture frame in the living room, and we can leave." It was all the reply she got, both he and Patty were getting ready to set off. Exactly when was it decided that going to an abandoned prison with a group of monster inmates was a good idea? No way, she wasn't going anywhere near the place. Even so, it had been decided very much without her input that they were leaving right now.

Well... maybe not _right _now. She'd forgotten about the thorough symmetry check he conducted throughout the house before they went anywhere. Liz and Patty leant against the wall outside the mansion, waiting until their meister was satisfied with the state of each and every little detail. And seeing as it's a very large manor, there are a lot of little details.

Two hours. It was two hours before he was finally ready to leave. The sisters would have gone inside during that time to entertain themselves, but they wouldn't dare risk throwing anything out of place accidentally and having him start all over. In the second hour they were able to hurry him up a bit, much to her relief. God knows how long it would have taken if they hadn't.

But after he'd completed his symmetry check, and Liz had given him an earful about it, they were pistols in his hands and flying through the air. Any protest she had on the matter was cut off, and that was that. It looked as if she would have to be prepared to dart of at any time. Liz thought she was a pretty flexible person, but that was a lot to ask for.

They were well into the air before she stopped sulking and let herself find a bit of enjoyment. She liked flying, she'd decided. It was... nice. Staying in weapon form for so long did tend to make her body a bit stiff, but otherwise it was fairly relaxing. It was funny to think how other weapons and meisters got around, when Kid could hop from A to B by air. He told her earlier that Beelzebub could reach 500km/h, and the mere thought of going that fast made her head spin. She preferred times like this, when she could just feel the breeze against her barrel, and crane her neck slightly to see the view.

The one thing that gave her even a hint of discomfort was the chaos in their resonance. It was still a mess after... well; she'd decided to just refer to it as 'The Incident' from now on. It wasn't the basic and bare connection that it should be. A whole spectrum of emotions caused their wavelengths to flare in and out of their links. The fact that there were three of them didn't exactly help either; a simple pair would have been much easier to hold together. Through the small connection between herself and Kid, she could tell he was having trouble maintaining it, the damaged resonance putting great stress on his soul. At this realization another pang of guilt fell through her stomach. After everything he was still trying to hold it all together. If it had been her she would have given up.

Breathing deeply through her nose, Liz closed her eyes. If they were leaping into a fight, whether it be against one or one hundred, she owed it to Kid in the very least to try and be useful. And the only way to do that would be to reach out to his soul _without_ attacking it like she had before. Swallowing hard, she reached out to fully sense his wavelength.

When she was this focused on them, she felt even their hearts. She'd heard somewhere that even the heartbeat sung the harmony of a perfect resonance, so it was no wonder she cringed when she heard theirs. It wasn't a song, it was just noise. Just a chipped, unsteady rhythm with loud static in the background. But pathways to each other were carved into place, even if they weren't being used. All because of her. The feeling of guilt gnawing through the pit of her stomach was getting old fast.

His soul was still open to her. Even if he wasn't reaching out as persistently (he seemed to have given up on that), he was still there, just waiting for her to play her part. It all narrowed down to the fact she wasn't participating, really. In fact, Liz was surprised he hadn't just given up and confronted her about it. Because he must have known as well as she did.

Maybe he didn't know. If the incident was anything to go off, then maybe he was simply turning it in on himself. She wouldn't be surprised.

Reach out. It was all she had to do. Just make even a spark of contact.

Tentatively, she narrowed in on his wavelength. Kid reacted slightly to this, a spark in his soul, something he probably didn't even consciously notice. Liz held her breath. And to stop any second thoughts, she caught onto the connection without warning, as quickly as she could manage.

It hit her like an electric current. His power ran through to her, coursing through every inch of her body. The air was thrown from her lungs, and she had no choice but to fully accept the intertwining of their souls. Even if she had only meant for a small link. Maybe she had moved a little too quickly...

As their souls connected, it wasn't just power the surged into Liz. Emotion, raw and unmasked caused her chest to tighten, and in turn was transferred both ways. It was a wonder to her in that moment how anyone could truly know someone without resonating souls. This understanding, what she'd felt could never be expressed in words. She felt what he felt in a bare glimpse, the pain, joy and everything in between.

Never had she expected someone with the name Death to be so _alive._

As jarring and unexpected as a reaction that strong had been, it gave her a rush of adrenaline and a high that no drug could compare to. This was nothing she had ever felt before. It was so unique she couldn't think of a single thing that it was even the barest bit comparable to.

Kid felt it too. Liz didn't have to look at him to know. His wavelength swelled, as did hers, and even if she had nothing on his strength they were both able to grow. And another wave, of what she couldn't describe, pulsed through her veins. It was almost gratitude. But there was so much more to it, so much deeper than that. She could have had a hundred years and she still wouldn't be able to put it into words.

Whatever it was, it had a powerful effect. Liz wanted to scream, to cry, and to do _something_ to release it. To let it run fully through her, to let it tear her to pieces. Her breath hitched in her throat. This was almost too much to bear. Her soul was so overrun by both of their emotions that she felt she might burst.

But in a heartbeat, there was a sudden clarity. Everything ripping through her moments before had simply merged together. She couldn't understand it all. It was like all of it was causing her to shatter, but she didn't know why. Yet, there was a part of her that told her that it was okay, that she didn't have to understand. She just had to... be.

All three of them were there. Kid, Liz, and Patty. All three souls were finally in a stable connection. Their resonance still shook with levels that each of them couldn't quite understand yet, but that was okay too. Even if they were struggling to have a complete acceptance, the gaping holes were filled.

Liz felt the two of them clearly. The white noise that cut them off was finally silenced, the gentle harmony of their soul's resonance singing instead. And a grin pulled at her lips. She couldn't help but smile so widely her cheeks burned, and giggles welled up in her stomach that could surely rival Patty's. Maybe she was losing it.

Even if this feeling might only last a moment, it was very important. Because it told her that yes, this could work, and yes, she could connect with Kid. The warmth in her chest at that thought was one she didn't bother to suppress.

But you can't live on a high forever. After a few moments the sparks flying in their resonance calmed down, and equilibrium settled. She was surprised to find herself panting slightly. A laugh passed her lips; that damn brat had actually managed to take her breath away. "I held us back." Liz mumbled to herself, through breathy giggles. "Maybe I was the brat..."

She felt... cleansed. Like the stale Brooklyn air had been washed from her lungs, and she had a new slate ahead of her. There was nothing that could change her past, but her future was different. Letting the current take her seemed much more appealing now that she wasn't struggling pointlessly against it.

"It's... okay." Kid mumbled, and the words passed through their resonance like a whispered secret for the sister's ears only. Apparently she wasn't the only one who'd felt that.

She wouldn't lie and say she felt completely changed, however. After every spark had fizzled, and the shock of the sudden resonance faded, she remembered how far they still had to go. But, for once, it was okay.

God knew she wouldn't have thought like this a few weeks ago.

The rest of the flight would have been silent to someone simply looking at the trio. But through their soul's wavelengths, there was much more to be heard. The rhythm of their connections made what she could have said was a song, formed by everything from their thoughts to their heartbeats. Liz would have been frightened, she realized, by the power that was suddenly running through her. But it was too comfortable, she felt too safe to be scared. Sure, it wasn't a perfect resonance, but for once the flaws didn't seem so huge.

It wasn't long before they'd reached the prison. And it only took the sight of it for Liz's mood to take a dramatic turn. The structure was even worse than she expected, it looked like a hurricane had blown through. She was suddenly reminded of exactly why she didn't want to do this. The kishin inmates had certainly taken it upon themselves to make a mess of the place. Only the bones of the original structure were left, the walls wearing gaping holes and the ceiling collapsing in on itself. Apart from how decrepit it seemed, it was mostly what she had expected. Made of stone and steel.

"You two need to remain pistols." Kid told them, as Beelzebub disappeared into his palm. The ghoulish edge to his power still spooked her a bit, but living with it was helping her adjust. It was pretty, awesome, really. When you got past the fact that it was the power of a god of Death then it didn't seem so frightening. And from what Kid had explained, a god of Life seemed to be a more appropriate title for him. Not that she'd said it, of course. He said the bottom line to his existence was to protect human souls. Hell, it was almost poetic.

"Mm'kay." Liz nodded, as she tried to ignore the growing sense of unease which welled in her stomach. Were they always going to head into a mission blind? This was not part of the plan. Kid didn't seem too worried, and the thought crossed her mind that maybe he was used to this. Just part of the job, and all.

But maybe now that they'd gotten a stronger resonance, he thought they might be able to shoot bullets that packed a bit more of a punch. That was what she was hoping on, anyway. She'd gotten the idea now that she had to receive Kid's wavelength, and amplify it. Then it would take the form of a bullet as it compressed. So, now that they had a better resonance he should be able to fight with them, right? Or maybe there was a part of the process she was missing...

"Hey Kid, do you think you'll be able to fight with us?" At least a bit of conversation could get her mind off her surroundings. They were well into the prisons walls now, and all around them were things she'd rather not spend too much time mulling over. Copper splatters of what had to be blood, an assortment of abandoned weaponry, and collapsed cell doors. Not to mention the illusion that the whole thing could fall in on her made a shiver run through her body.

It was a beat before he realized that he'd stopped walking. Another beat, and he still hadn't answered. He was instead glancing around, a frown stuck on his face. She opened her mouth to prompt a response, but he suddenly spoke up. "This place... it's a total mess..."

_Oh. No. Anytime but now..._

"Hey, c'mon Kid, remember there are supposed to be kishin everywhere, you need to stay focused." Liz raised her voice to try and snap him back, but a part of her was already saying that she'd lost him.

Asymmetrical things, unbalanced things, totally messed up things, it all caused the same reaction for Kid.

"Just look, Liz, it's in ruins!" Just as she thought, there he goes. After this point, it took a lot to snap him back to the real world. The thought of her meister practically immobilized in a place like this was not exactly putting her at ease. In fact, she was beginning to panic.

"That doesn't matter! You need to focus! It's dangerous-"

Then, it all happened too fast for her to catch.

But suddenly, everything was red.

**A/N: Oh dear, Kid got a little distracted... And Patty was so quiet in this chapter... Hehe, aren't cliffhangers delicious? XD I'm not 100% happy with this chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway... (PS, Zatralca is an anagram of Alcatraz. Oh god I fail at references. -_-) I PROMISE I will be on time next time!**


	12. The Prince Is Down

**A/N: Oh look I'm on time for once, that's new XD. And look, Kiddo's pov! Things are getting intense folks! (Well, hopefully they are...) I'm not too happy with how this turned out, I haven't been happy with any of my writing as of late, but hopefully it's okay and you will enjoy anyway!**

**Chapter Twelve**

**The Prince Is Down**

_'Damn it'._

Getting stabbed wasn't in the plan.

_'Only in the left side though? They could have at least had the courtesy to-'_

Focus!

Wincing, Kid's hand wandered to where the blade had entered. Most of the knife was buried in his side, only an inch of the metal was not in his flesh. A warm pool of blood was already beginning to stain his jacket, darkening black fabric as it poured from the wound. The pain was going to be problematic. It was embedded into his side pretty deeply, too. Any higher and it would have been rammed through his ribs into his lung.

_That's inconvenient..._

The pistols were no longer in his hands. That was bad. Unlike himself, they wouldn't fare to well against a knife in their sides. Patty was holding onto his shoulder tightly, shaking it slightly. Liz had both hands on his forearm. Their screams filled his ears, and as much as he appreciated their concern it was really quite distracting.

_'They'll be hurt, too, if I don't do something right. Now.'_

His hand wrapped around the blade's handle. After he sustained an injury of this magnitude, it dulled his senses considerably. His inner reaper kicked in, and as a result everything else took a back seat. The burn of his flesh already beginning an accelerated healing almost surpassed the pain of the initial stab. Which wasn't exactly comfortable; it had shocks of pain wracking through his frame. Any deeper or higher and he wouldn't have been able to stand. Stopping his knees from buckling was problematic as it was. "It's fine," was all he could try and say, to stop the two pistols shouting at the top of their lungs. Even so, he only managed to mumble.

But Liz picked up that he'd said something, through the noise they made. "Kid! There's a fucking knife in your side! How the fuck are you still standing? What do you mean you're fine? How. Are. You. Fine?" Her words tumbled over each other as she frantically shouted at him. Unfortunately, now wasn't the time he could answer her.

Maybe he should have explained before they left for a mission.

A sharp pain clawed from his side to his chest, as blood drained heavily from the wound. He knew he had to get the blade out, but that didn't necessarily mean he would enjoy it. From behind him, he heard the stabber step back, apparently satisfied. "Pfft, they're kidding right? They sent a kid!" An uproar of laughter followed the lead of a gravely voice. It was hard to tell from the way the sound bounced from the walls, and by how shaken his soul perception was, but there had to be at least twelve others. Not including the soul who was, at first glance, in his stomach. That blade was a demon weapon. That only made matters worse.

Liz's colourful vocabulary was now directed at the man. "You fucking stabbed him! Patty, transform, I'm killing this bitch!"

"No!" Kid gasped out. His hand found hers to grab her attention, and with the movement came another stab of anguish. He found whatever he could muster to ignore it. That blade needed to get out of his side right now. Or his body would try and heal around it.

It happened to him, once, and removing that blade was an experience he would not like to relive.

The sour taste of copper was rising in his throat, and as he coughed as it trickled past his lip. "Just wait." He choked out to Liz, who was apparently too shocked to do much more than stare at him, jaw stopping mid-curse.

"I'm not just any kid." Kid allowed himself a moment of smugness before he pulled the knife from his side in a swift movement. A growl passed his lips as a pointed wave of pain shot through his torso. His knees threatened to give out as he doubled over, but he only allowed himself to stumble. Another spurt of blood gushed out of the now freely-bleeding wound. But that was the least of his problems right now. It could be dealt with later.

Any laughter from the kishin group was ceased; even the snide voice directly behind him had gone quiet. In fact, in direct contrast to mere seconds before, the area was in dead silence.

The blade slipped through his fingers as the wavelength emitting from it protested his hold on it. "What kind of guy is this?" a woman's voice snapped, red ribbons of light swirling around the blade before it hit the floor. The voice turned from metallic to clear as she transformed, light ripping through the air into ivory chunks of bone straight hair. She looked down at him with narrowed eyes, violet in colour. But she did back off, moving to stand behind him with the stabber, obviously her meister, and he felt it was a pretty good guess to say the stabber was Urban. But the weapon's wavelength was so much more powerful than his... Perhaps they were wrong about who was in charge...

There was no time to consider it. Right now, all that mattered was collecting the souls and getting the hell out of here before the disarray made him any more uncomfortable. Not to mention the wound in his side, and every other distraction clouding his thought process. Overall, the situation wasn't at all ideal. He supposed, however, he'd fought against higher odds. And now that Liz had decided to reach out to his soul, they pistols might be able to inflict some damage.

Only one way to find out.

"Liz, Patty, transform." Kid held his hands out, the gesture impatient. The girls could get their explanation in due course. But they were now in a life or death situation. And, for now anyway, they would have to listen to him. Until they had a better understanding, they would have to follow his lead completely. Even if they didn't like it.

Which Liz clearly didn't. "But, Kid, you-"

Kid narrowed his eyes dangerously at her, in a stare that might have been a bit too venomous. It was for her own good, he told himself. If they were hurt, then he would fail them, and he would absolutely not let that happen. But if they weren't pistols it made them a lot harder to protect – doubly so if they refused to listen to him. "Liz." He growled lowly. "Please."

Patty glowed next to him, without even a word. Liz followed suit, the worry on her face changing to the look of a scolded child, and she too transformed. In a flash of pink they were pistols in his hands.

Standing back to full height, he felt the pain in his side evening into something bearable. A few of the people around him staggered backwards in shock, a few more leaning in to wonder if they were seeing properly. Urban, who possessed a soul much weaker than his weapons, stood stoic. "We-we stabbed him Nisha... What the fuck...?"

But the woman only seemed to find amusement. A cold laugh passed her lips, and Kid turned to face the pair. His soul perception wasn't so chaotic, and he could now say for sure that there were sixteen other souls around him. Take away the sisters', and that was fourteen inmates whose souls needed to be collected. He would have been relieved at the smaller than expected number, had it not been for the strength radiating from each one. There was no doubt in his mind that they were already at the three star stage. Not good.

And aside from a few oddities, they'd maintained human forms. So they had mutated very quickly, and very powerfully. He should have been expecting that.

But it wasn't the inmates who were worrying him, nor was it Urban. It was the woman, Nisha. Her soul was by far the strongest, and her black painted lips twisted into a sneer. "Oh, I get it now." Flipping a white strand of hair out of her eyes, her gaze burned against Kid's. Amethyst meeting gold. "The lines. Those eyes. You're the reapers baby, isn't that cute~?" She spoke with an obvious flair of condescension. That sent warning bells off to Kid – to recognize him merely from his hair and his eyes meant she was far too well informed. His existence was kept quiet when he was younger, he knew that much. For enemies to know of Lord Death's son, a reaper much weaker to have revenge on, was something his father had deemed too dangerous. But it was impossible for him to stay a secret for very long. After he was old enough to complete missions, there weren't many of importance who didn't know of him. Still, his father had told him that only higher-ups would be able to recognize him from appearance alone. So how could she?

"And just who are you, then?" Kid ventured. The other inmates seemed pretty confused about the whole situation, but that was only beneficial. The more confused and distracted they were, the easier they would be to fight. The realization that the other half of that cell door to his far left was completely decimated clawed back into his head, but the thought along with any consequent ones was chased away by another laugh.

The woman straightened her coat. The movement made Kid notice that she wasn't just the only one not wearing a prison uniform. Her clothing was extravagant, and obviously expensive. She was dressed in a coat that was purple, so dark it was almost black, and boots that made her much taller than she actually was. It was as if she had happened to wander through the wreckage of a prison-

_Ahh. I see now._

"My name is Nisha, the demon blade. It's quite an honour, little Death." A sly smile spread across her face as she curtsied. "You are quite small, aren't you? So very young, even if the blood of a god runs through your veins. Or rather, flows from that wound of yours." With an extravagant flick of well jewelled fingers, she raised her hood over the white of her hair. Nisha held a certain air around her, one that meant all the inmates were hanging onto her every word. So they had been wrong about two things: this wasn't an inside job and Urban wasn't the ringleader. Interesting, but it just made the situation more dangerous. This was a bigger operation than was first assumed. He was sitting precariously, as it was. The pistols in his hands may be of barely any use to him in a fight, and if they chose to attack while he was surrounded like this then the odds were stacked against him.

If he could keep this woman talking, then he might be able to get some information out of her. But it was already clear she was cunning, that she had already prepared for Shibusen forces. And the fact she was so well informed was certainly unsettling, and he knew he'd barely scraped the surface. "The pleasure's all mine, Nisha." Kid said dryly. "What, may I ask, is a lady like you doing in a place like this?"

Liz hummed nervously in his palm, but he soothed her with a flicker in his wavelength. _It's fine. I have this under control._

"Now, baby reaper." Nisha tilted her head to look down further on him, Kid's question quite obviously ignored. And the way she referred to him as an infant was already becoming irritating. "I think we should play a game."

So, she was trying to toy with him. _She's put me in a position_, he thought, _where I have to play along. _Surrounding him like this, moving the inmates to a position where it would be stupid to even try and fight his way out, she had him in her palm. Kid had no option but to cooperate with her for now.

It was then that it fully dawned on him. I_'ve walked into her trap. One that was set up before I even got here. If I was human, I'd probably be dead already._

_Damn._

"I can't say I'm inclined to agree with you." Kid widened his feet subtly, his grip on the pistols tightening. Both of the sisters responded readily to the change in stance. Even though relying on bullets at this point could prove fatal, it was an opportunity to see how they fared against tough opponents. Ideally, they would have started with enemies he would be sure to beat bare-handed, for insurance reasons. But this wasn't an ideal world.

"Well that's funny, because you and I both realize..." Kid could do nothing as two souls behind him moved closer, and a staff aimed at the back of his neck. So Nisha wasn't the only weapon. But she was the one he had to be most careful of. "...that you don't have a choice." The humour drained from her voice as she finished, and she gave a flick of a nod to whoever was standing behind Kid. The staff prodded between his shoulder blades, and he had to focus to try and keep a straight posture. Magic energy radiated from the weapon at his neck. He tensed reflexively, adrenaline causing his muscles to tighten. Even if he decided to retaliate now, one shot from whatever magic the staff held, and he would be down. There was no way he could move quickly enough. "I wonder how many holes we have to punch in you before you're on the ground. You know, I've always wondered what it would sound like to hear a shinigami beg for mercy." Nisha sneered at him, and took a step forward.

The emotion flowing from Liz's wavelength to his was becoming increasingly difficult to sync with. The way it fluctuated was making it hard for them to hold the already precarious resonance, and at the moment, a lot of the energy Kid was using to keep it intact was needed elsewhere, just to keep him standing straight. _Calm down, Liz_. He tried to sooth her anger, all the bitter emotions that were causing her soul to shake. It was hurting Kid, and probably Patty as well, to feel how distressed Liz was. She was almost having a breakdown. As he sent calm through their small connection, telling her over and over 'Its okay, its okay', he hoped there was some way for it to work without actually speaking. Never reveal your weaknesses to the enemy, after all.

But he barely succeeded – she was refusing to listen. The noise, the way her soul kept slipping from the grip it had on his, was drowning the connection Kid had with Patty. It was becoming harder to sense what the younger sister was telling him through their connection. Kid began to panic himself, because both externally and internally he felt completely powerless. The air was too thick, the effort of holding the resonance together causing his head to spin and his side to ache. For a gut wrenching moment the whole world was closing in, and he simply couldn't find any order in it at all. It was the same feeling he had when his wavelength had repelled against the sisters', that awful, sinking feeling...

_Breathe._

_Focus._

_I will get those girls out of here. Even if it is my last act as their meister._

Kid took a deep, sighing breath. He could have a meltdown later. It was him who had dragged Liz and Patty into this, and they were getting out of here safely. And if that meant he had to play a stupid game to please some sadistic kishin weapon, then so be it. "You're right, Nisha. I don't have a choice. So what is this game you want me to play?"

Nisha stood much closer now, only about an arms length away. "No, no, little one, first we need to restore the power balance." She placed a manicured hand underneath his chin, a single digit pressing against his skin. It was making him extremely uncomfortable, and his first instinct was to jerk away. But with the weapon pressing at his neck, he would have impaled himself. So he merely looked straight at her, refusing to show weakness by looking away. Apparently, she found great delight in this. "Hmph. Now get on your knees, I want a god to kneel before me."

Before he could even think, Liz shouted out, "As if Kid would kneel for a bitch like you! Who do you think you are?" Her face glimmered in the cool metal of the pistol, an expression of absolute disgust on her face. She had been simmering, anger building up against Nisha, and now she'd boiled over.

Kid ground his teeth together. "Liz, quiet!" he hissed. There was no way he could let Nisha's attention turn to the sisters. If she was focused on him, then she might not try and target them. It would be much easier to make sure they were safe that way.

Unfortunately, Patty joined the rebellion too. "Hey, stupid knife lady, there's no way you can beat Kid!" The younger pistol smiled, but it wasn't the same way she had before. It was almost... maniacal. "We'll be the one shootin' you full of holes!"

"Hmph. Those pistols of yours have attitudes," Nisha hissed, only baring a glance at the sisters. It seemed she was more focused than Kid had thought. Her attention would not leave him. "If you won't kneel willingly, reaper, I'll do what has to be done. And you've forced me to demonstrate my resolve." Her face darkened, eyes taking on a dangerous glare. "Now,_ kneel_." She spat the last word, nodding to the man behind Kid before removing her hand. With the click of a high heeled boot she took a step back.

There was barely enough time for Kid to realise why she'd backed away, and only a beat longer to drop the pistols to the floor.

Her grin was the last thing he saw before a searing, burning pain ripped through his whole body.

The agony caused his head to be thrown back and a scream to tear from his throat. White hot lightning filled his vision, and a sickening crackling filled his ears. The magic entered his body from his back, tore through him, and scorched an exit burn on his chest. Every nerve in his body was on fire. All the energy, everything that Kid had left to give was ripped from his body, replaced with the violent sting of electricity. Never before had he been hit directly with anything like this. It was the most immense pain he could ever remember. Every second felt like hours to try and endure.

The flashing caused his eyes to become smothered in a glare, the noise of cracking filling his ears. Even the sound of his own screams had been drowned out. Kid fought to find a breath of air, but his lungs were empty, throat raw from crying out in a way he hadn't in a very long time. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't breathe in. And so, he found himself suffocating. It caused him not only intense pain, but intense fear. He was utterly powerless, and if this kept up for much longer...

When he was about to tear, the lightning pushing the limits of even the body of a god – the crackling turned to fizzing. And the fizzing died out. The flashes that had consumed his vision were gone, replaced with a glare. Patty was calling out to him, desperately, and even if he heard her voice the words she said were indecipherable. Through the tether of connection he had to Liz there was _something_. But it was so soft, in comparison to what he knew of her, that he couldn't make it out. No, he couldn't hear the sisters, he could feel them. And their anguish was strong enough for him to pick up through even their slim tethers of resonance.

Before he could gather his thoughts properly, he was curled on the floor. The taste of bile and copper rose uncomfortably in his throat. And what he was sure was blood trickled over his teeth and past his lips.

_Not good._

_Not good at all._

Each breath he took was shuddering, and he wanted nothing more than to give into the darkness clawing at the edges of his vision. It was Nisha's voice that gave him something in the waking world to cling onto, and the chance to regain his senses. "Now, you will kneel, or you will die. And we'll kill those guns of yours, too; it is a shame that they got you in this position in the first place..." Her voice was so tainted with malice that it gave Kid resolve. There was one thing he knew for certain, she could do whatever she wanted to him, but she wouldn't touch the girls.

So he found the strength to move onto his knees. Somehow, through the miracle that is the body of a god, he was able to move a palm flat onto the concrete. Then his other, then a hard push against the ground to get his chest up. He felt more blood dribbling over his lip with the movement, but he paid it no mind. With all the energy he could find, he found a way to kneel. His pride didn't matter to him at all right now. There were more important things.

Nisha laughed bitterly. "I have brought a god to his knees!" As she stepped to leer over him once again, she took a hold of the fringe of his hair, pulling his head up. Kneeling down, she forced him to meet her eyes. "Now, will you play my game, like a good little child?"

Kid hadn't met many enemies like this woman. And he didn't think of himself as someone easy to anger. But she sent his blood boiling, because the way she acted was nothing short of sick. Disgusting. Filthy, unbalanced, asymmetrical.

And he would teach her why it was dangerous to pick a fight with a Grim Reaper.

A flame ignited in his soul, his shinigami instincts kicking in. The lingering ache, the sharp stings that still echoed through his bones were drowned in a wash of adrenaline. His body was working hard to find a quick fix to the many injuries he had and to give him all the energy reserves he had. It was going to hurt later – he wasn't getting off scot-free – but it would do for now. Taking a heaving, deep breath in, Kid was able to talk with only a slight shake in his voice. "Yes. Tell me your rules, and I will play."

_Your soul is mine._

Nisha almost squealed in delight. Dropping his hair, she clapped, signalling to some of the inmates who'd been watching, amused. "I knew you'd see it my way! Now, it's quite simple, almost too much so." As she began to explain, Kid reached to the pistols on the floor, finally having a grasp on them again. He had to instantly suppress their wavelengths, because he couldn't spare the energy of communicating with them. They'd get explanations and apologies, plenty, later. "Now, here's what will happen. My friends here are going to set up a barrier using artefact magic, from which neither you nor I will be permitted to leave. At least, not until one of us is dead." She smiled, as two other inmates stepped forward. One was holding what looked to be a set of scales – a bowl on either side of an hourglass, with several pieces of ancient spells written in symbols on the silver. Kid recognized it immediately.

He'd read plenty of books about artifacts such as this. It was created by an enchantress who lived thousands of years ago, way back when genies were still around. Using the aid of witches who shared the interest in magic tools, the Great Enchantress Titania made many objects manipulated with forbidden spells. Her work was famous. But only among the evil. The objects she made were dangerous, faulty, and used illegal magic, so her soul was collected. Only a few of her pieces survived Lord Death's annihilation of them, the ones that did being lost track of. There was no doubt it was the real thing. And the fact Nisha had gotten her hands on it made her all the more suspicious. How long had she been under Shibusen's radar?

"This piece was simply titled 'Bloodied Sand.' And I think you'll understand the name." Nisha took the device, placing it on the floor delicately. "It covers the radius of the prison. You already know how it works?"

"Yes." Kid coughed, sitting up slightly. "She created three of these, it was her favourite." He was sure only he and Nisha knew who 'she' was. "Our blood is placed in either scale, and the sand turns red. The barrier is set, and if one of us is not dead by the time the hourglass finishes, we both die." So many hexes were on this one object in front of him that is was ridiculous. He could feel the evil magic practically falling off it.

"Ah, you haven't disappointed. That's a good boy." Reaching to grab hold of his hand, her finger transformed into a very small blade. This was worrisome. She could have other weapon forms beyond just a simple knife, and there was no doubt in his mind now that she was very good at using them. Kid didn't let go of Liz, who was in the hand that she had grabbed. From now on, he would not let either of the sisters go. It was too dangerous.

With a swift movement, she pushed his sleeve back, and sliced a clean gash on his forearm and her own. The pain Kid felt was mild compared to what he knew in every other nerve in his body, and Nisha didn't react either.

"Now," she began. "Let's play."

**A/N: Damn, Kid. I'm sorry, you got stabbed and then shot with bolts of lightning...**  
**Oh wow, not much longer to go now. My plan was for there to only be two more chapters, but I'm writing more because there are a few things that I want to put in that were ideas initially dropped, because I thought they were too ambitious. Nisha was one of them, and I sincerely hope you're enjoying her character. Isn't she just deliciously evil?**


	13. Countdown

**A/N: Alright, first thing's first, if you're still reading thus far you are a star. I know I'm getting very carried away with the story and I'm really glad you guys haven't given up on it yet. So thank you! And another thing on that, **

**_I'm sorry this took forever._**

**It's been a tricky time as of late but I think the air is clear now. I'm so glad that if you're reading this, you've taken a leap of faith and decided to stick around!  
Next, I feel the quality of my writing as of late isn't quite where I know it could be. And I think the main cause of that is time pressure. Updates are going to come at pretty random times, and I deeply apologize for my inconsistency on this. I'll try for once a week, for your and my fantastic beta's sake, but as I've demonstrated I'm terrible at getting things out on time. Please enjoy this chapter, even if it took forever...**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Countdown**

"Let's play."

Kid watched as she bent his arm, angling his wrist. His own blood dropped into one side of the scales. If he wasn't so used to the sight of it, he knew it would make his stomach churn. Even now he felt queasy. Each of the thick red beads of crimson rolled over pallid skin, splashing slightly as it hit cold silver. The process was painfully slow, and he couldn't help but wonder if she'd done that on purpose. It seemed the sort of thing she would find amusement in.

Nisha's face was the picture of glee as each droplet fell. The pair of them both knew that there was no escaping it now. The hex had been activated. He could tell by the way the runes carved into it were glowing slightly, glinting against the light more heavily. The artefact bled a magical aura into the air. It tainted the stone and dust in a deep golden colour, adding a tint to the musty area.

"Now, here are my rules." Nisha hummed, letting her own blood fall into the other side of the scale. "My friends will scatter throughout the prison, and I will find a good place to see the show. Defeat them all before an hour is up, and I'll offer my soul to you. Easy as that." She explained it as if it was a trivial matter, just some small talk. Not as if both of their lives were on the line – which, now that the spell was being set, they were. Although Kid doubted her sincerity, there was no trace of a lie in her voice. This woman was so hard to read, he couldn't tell whether the personality she wore was genuine or just another trick. It was impossible to guess, the way she was pleasant and happy one moment, then dark the next. Maybe he had no clue as to what she was actually like at all, and every move she made was calculated. He wouldn't put it past her. Of course, it was not like he'd ever had the chance to analyze her soul in the short time they had been acquainted...

"I somehow doubt that," Kid mumbled, as fat drops of red dribbled over his skin. With each bead that hit the scales, Liz would hum anxiously in his hand, as would Patty. He wanted to explain, to just pause time and stop their worrying. It was hard enough dealing with Nisha, let alone knowing the sisters feared for all three of their lives. Unfortunately, all he could do was listen to the nervous chatter in their resonance. There was so much they needed to hear. He had been so _stupid._ Rushed ahead and completely neglected making sure they were on the same page. Now he was paying for it, in his own blood. Thank God it wasn't theirs...

_'I've lost them, haven't I?'_

Nisha was suddenly sharp, voice taking on an edge. "I wouldn't cheat at my own game. That's very rude of you to assume, Shinigami." All the time, she was hypnotized at the flow of blood. It was clear she was waiting for each small dish to fill. It was painstaking to watch. Such a slow, meticulous process she obviously didn't want to rush. However, Kid was grateful for the chance to come to his senses slightly. The buzz of pain lingering in his bones was dulling, the sharp edge numbing. For once, he realized just how grateful he was for an ability he mostly took for granted. A little edge he had over the enemy. Slowly, he was gaining back the strength he had lost. The burst he would need to get himself, Liz and Patty out of here alive.

Kid didn't dignify her with a response. He waited and watched. The more blood that filled each side of the scale, the pinker the sand became. If there was anything to be gained from such a dreadful situation, it was witnessing the magical artefact active, watching magic of hundreds of years past. The way each little grain darkened, until it wasn't a light salmon, but a deep, bloody red. The sickly colour curled through each inch of sand, the magical aura strengthening. "But I must tell you, if you don't manage it before an hour is up, you will die. Because if neither of us are dead after sixty minutes, then this artefact will kill us both. Painfully simple, I'm sure you get the idea." Her voice was growing bored, attention fixed on the device. It was as if she wasn't even bothered talking to him. Like as long as everything was set out in her head, then no one else should question or learn of her intentions. It only served to make her even harder to read.

She had her own agenda, and Kid had no idea what it could be. To an outsider, she appeared all over the place, with no real end goal set. Like she was simply playing things by ear, occasionally pulling strings to steer things in the right direction. Quite the puppeteer, she was.

As another bead of blood rolled off Kid's wrist, dropping into the small pool which had already fallen, a wave of pressure rolled through the room – almost strong enough to blow him off balance. The shock it caused was enough for pebbles to jump off the ground, and the already precariously balanced walls to buckle slightly. It was like an earthquake had rolled through, and a powerful gust had blown in. With it, Nisha perked up, the grin on her face reigniting. "Ah, finally," she whispered, before standing. "It's time."

She held her hands out at her sides, glaring down at him. Fingers spread into a fan, legs apart and stance strong, even if she looked a bit like she was offering her self up. "Let's begin." It was apparent now that she wasn't going to waste any more time. With a flick of her wrist, she beckoned to one of the inmates, who replied with a low, growling chuckle. Kid only managed to glance at him. The man's soul was that of a weapon's, but he was short, stout, and clearly not much of a fighter on his own.

"Right," the kishin snarled, before closing his eyes and tucking his arms to his chest. A beat later, he disappeared, along with everything else Kid could see moments before.

The whole room was coated in thick, black smoke. 'So he was a smoke bomb.' Kid thought. 'That's not helpful...'

Liz instantly panicked. "Wha- Why's it so dark? What's going on?" she fretted, her wavelength spiking. "I can't see anything!" It sounded as if she was at her wit's end, voice slightly strangled and almost disbelieving. Kid didn't blame her for being so freaked out, but that didn't mean it was helpful.

Patty, however, seemed none the wiser to the insecurity of the situation. Her voice was one of awe, totally captured and intrigued. "Wow! That's pretty cool; he made it all dark...!" He couldn't hear any fear, nor feel any in her wavelength. It was just a demonstration of how different the girls were. But like an yin yang, they simply slipped together seamlessly. For a moment, that almost frustrated him. Why couldn't he mould so easily to their personalities, even if they were almost opposites?

However, he snapped himself out of his thoughts, which were beginning to become clouded and cluttered. "Focus," he whispered to himself, tightening his grip on the pistols. "I need to focus."

"Listen to me now, girls," Kid started, taking a deep breath. "For the next hour, I'm fighting for my life." The last few words were what really caught their attention. Even the rhythm of their resonance fell silent, as they gripped onto everything he said. "Worse case scenario, if I can no longer fight, then you wield each other and get out of here." He willed his voice to be calm, even if shudders ran through his spine at the thought. There was absolutely no way he would fail them. Only over his dead body, which wasn't happening any time soon either.

Liz was the first to speak up. But she was hesitant, like even though her mouth was moving her head still wasn't quite sure what it was thinking. "But... You can do this, Kid, can't you?" With an almost whispered hush in her voice, there was a new vulnerability he found within her he had never noticed before. Or rather, she'd been determined never to show. "This is a piece of cake for a reaper, isn't it?"

Patty agreed with her sister, minus the anxiety in her voice. "Yeah, piece of cake! Of course Kid can, no doubt." She spoke as if it was the only real truth in this world, totally sure of every word. It brought a smile to the reaper's face, even if it was only small. If Patricia Thompson said the next hour would be a piece of cake, then in Death's name it would be.

The smoke was beginning to thin, and Kid could see they'd been left completely alone in the area. Do or die time – too literally, for his liking. "I will get you girls out of here," he assured them, in a voice much more confident than he had been previously. That was all he could trust in, after all. "Alright. Since I need to focus on holding together our resonance, fighting effectively, and keeping track of time, I need you girls to really concentrate right now. Close your eyes if you get scared, and I promise... I will get you of here."

Patty giggled, in a way which was achingly familiar to him now. The careless, light-hearted laughter of someone you wouldn't expect to have lived a hard life. "Yeah! Let's do this! Don't worry; the Devil's of Brooklyn aren't scared of anything." That was all he needed to hear.

Slowly, Liz gathered the heart to speak too. "Okay, Kid." There was a pause. "...For now, I've got no other choice than to trust you." It wasn't hard to guess that was hard for her to say. And even if it was a lie, it gave Kid that much more resolve.

Eight breaths, in and out. The smoke was almost completely dissipated, and it was time to get moving.

_Fifty-seven._

If Kid could move fast enough, then he might be able to catch the eggs before they got very far. Wishful thinking. Even if the thought was logical, it was also almost laughable. Somehow, this wasn't as straightforward as he thought. But he had no time left to consider; all he could do was fight. He stood on shaking knees, and had his little fingers poised on the triggers of the pistols. There was no way he could afford to stand around any longer.

And so, he ran. This space was too tight to even think of using Beelzebub, but mobility was Kid's strength even without the skateboard. If there was the slimmest advantage the young reaper had, it was speed.

He was heading right into the bowels of the prison, the winding networks of cells. The rubble made good leverage to kick off of, even if he found himself wincing at their scattered and unorganized positions. That was the edge he had on the enemy, even if he didn't quite know the layout like they would. It was likely the wreckage would immobilize them. Well, to be fair that was some more wishful thinking, but still…

The first egg was a surprisingly quick find. Not that he was moving. It was like he had been waiting for Kid to take him on, putting himself in an obvious position. But he didn't seem too much of a threat – although Kid had learnt the hard way in the past not to judge a book by its cover, he thought it was a safe assumption that this was one of the weaker kishin eggs which were now swarming. This had him breathing a heaved sigh of relief. At least it gave him a bit of flexibility to test the effectiveness of Liz and Patty's bullets.

With a shrug of his shoulders, Kid raised the pistols and shot. Nothing was more effective than the direct method, after all. The pink streams of light shot through the air, and for the first time since they'd began practicing they were strong enough to actually have kicked back. It gave him a moment of hope – perhaps they'd be stronger than he'd thought, even with such a precarious resonance...

...Or, maybe not. The bullets hit the kishin, but he barely stumbled. Each pink shard left a light scorch on the thin fabric of his prison overalls, but nothing more. How disappointing. The man stared down at his clothing, then at Kid, then back down again. And he had to admit, even if the bullets were ineffective, it was amusing to see the look on the egg's face. It was a picture of absolute confusion.

"It's hopeless," Liz mumbled, almost inaudibly. As of she'd just decided to give up, her wavelength began to slip, completely neglecting trying to hold a connection. Every delicate thread that Kid had so desperately sewn was being snapped, one by one. With the feeling, his heart fell through his stomach. Was she really just going to give up like this? Surely not.

No. He was going to prove they had something worth trying to keep. No matter how small or embarrassingly weak.

The man, who was apparently not quite as alarmed anymore, let out a dry, hollow laugh. As his mouth pulled into a grin, Kid could see a set of fangs beginning to take shape from his human teeth. So a mutation was already beginning to take place... That was a sure sign that this kishin was weaker than his partners. He was losing the ability to maintain a human form. "Well, that's not much of a strategy, is it, reaper?" he wheezed, between cackled pieces of laughter. "Yer' gonna have to do a hell of a lot better than that!"

Kid wasn't prepared to waste anymore time. The bullets would do more damage up close anyway, and hand to hand combat was certainly not a weakness of his. Time to prove something to the sisters. "Okay, girls, listen up," he began, disregarding the man's comments. "If there's one thing I simply cannot allow above all else..."

Lunging forward, he used the combat art which ran through his very veins. Deliberately, he left his sentence unfinished, wanting to make sure the girl's would hang onto it. The kishin egg was slow and truly not much of a fighter, and he certainly wasn't good at keeping up with someone skilled in speed even with injury. "Is that you must never, ever..."

Barrage after barrage of bullets, in quick succession and at the most vulnerable places. If one bullet was barely effective, then fifty in the stomach was surely painful. One hundred was bound to at least cause some internal damage. The strategy seemed to work, grunts of pain which escalated to inhuman howls tore from the kishin egg's throat. It simply couldn't keep up. "Under any circumstances..."

The more bullets the kishin egg took, the worse off he was – becoming even slower, even more confused with Kid's sudden change to mean business. Any blows it tried to land missed terribly, the wreck of twisted concrete and iron serving as good advantage for the shinigami. The fight was over before it started – the kishin egg had horribly underestimated him and been caught unaware. Bit by bit, each of his limbs were beginning to turn into strands of ribbon. Not long to go now.

"Give up." Pointing the pistols against the very dazed egg's chest, Kid squeezed the trigger. The kishin's body swirled into black strands of ribbon, which pulled together to form a pulsing, red soul. Its glow illuminated the musty space, crimson light catching awkwardly to the cell's decay.

Standing still in front of it, Kid found himself out of breath. That was too much effort spent on one soul – far too much. His chest heaved, lungs thirsty for air, throat stinging. An ache crept back through his muscles, and his whole body shook slightly. There was a buzzing in his head which made everything blur slightly. He was not healthy. But there wasn't much he could do about it. In order for all three of them to get out alive, he had to fight. And, against all odds, come out on top. More than anything, he wanted to simply close his eyes. He wanted to give up, to give his screaming muscles a reprieve. But there was no way that was happening.

Pain ebbed in his bones; skin burning like hot ash was scattered over it. It hurt, oh god it did, but he wasn't about to let that take over.

_Forty-Seven._

"Hey, Kid, what do we do now?" Patty questioned. She was totally mesmerized by the soul. He could hear it in her voice. And then he was reminded that it was likely neither Liz nor Patty had ever seen one before.

What a... bizarre concept.

Kid had grown up with Phasmology actively put to use around him. Something as simple as seeing a soul was not a special or significant occurrence; it just happened. It was simply what he knew. So how in the world was he supposed to explain it to two people who had no idea about any of it? Not that he had any time to do so now, of course.

"Believe me, Patty, I'm adding it to the list of things I have to explain to you both when we get home." Kid muttered, just a shred of exasperated humour in his voice.

"You're damn right there." Liz answered dryly.

This was going to be the longest forty-six minutes of his life.

**A/N: The next part of this was cut and made it's own chapter. It'll be pretty short, and if you hated the last cliffhangers, you will loathe this one... Once again, thank you for putting up with me, and I'll catch you again (hopefully) in a week!**


	14. Chivalry

**A/N: Hi all! I am terribly sorry for my absence, please let me explain. First off, if you'll keep reading, then I can't thank you enough. Because I've broken my hand... Which, as you can imagine, makes typing a painful and slow process, with only one hand to do so with. That's why writing this took so long, because I had to keep up with rp as well.  
Please forgive me and the relatively short chapter. I wasn't completely happy with it, but I got a bit sick of looking at it! So let's just dive straight in!**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Chivalry**

Kid's chest heaved, lungs stinging as he gulped dry, dusty air. Every part of his body burned, muscles clenched tight and bones pushed to breaking point. He was bloody, bruised, and dirty... but he was alive.

That was what mattered. All three of them were alive.

The fight had been tough and beating the time limit even tougher. Kid had given up trying to even speak at the most heated point of the battle through the prison, his adrenaline and sheer will to survive carrying him through, quite miraculously. There had been some close calls, a few times when mere inches or nanoseconds had meant the difference between life and death. And Kid couldn't recall a time where he'd had to use such an intense amount of energy in such a short burst. Or, when the muscles in his body had wound so tensely every move he made stung.

Three minutes.

They were finished, he was sure of it. He had collected the damaged souls, worked his way through the winding twists and turns of crippled cells and collapsed halls. Perhaps it had been his imagination, or a sign that the madness in the kishin souls was getting to him, but he could have sworn he heard Nisha cackling the whole time. And it was no wonder, he supposed. It must have been one hell of a thing to watch. Not so much when you're in the thick of it.

Kid's tongue darted out over his lips, the familiar tang of blood in his mouth. It was a while before he could gain his breath, for him to find the strength to move forward. Just standing was enough to exhaust him.

"Did... did we do it?" Liz asked quietly. She was cautious. Over the hour, both of the sisters had fallen silent. Out of awe, respect, fear, or some other emotion, their lips had been sealed and their eyes wide. Hell, he'd never heard them so quiet, right down to their souls.

Which were still awkwardly trying to flex to each other, but that was irrelevant now.

Only partially answering Liz's question, Kid gave in to the ache running through his body, collapsing to his knees in utter exhaustion. "You hear that?" Throwing his head back, the reaper yelled upwards, as loud as his spent lungs could muster.

His own voice raked against his throat. Wheezing slightly, he resisted the way his stomach churned, threatening to spill. "We've beaten your game, Nisha. We've won."

As he spoke, the area darkened. Kid had lost track of where he was somewhere around the half hour mark, but this had to have been the very heart of the prison. It was obvious. Rusted and twisted iron was thicker than stone or brick now, piling up in heaps of wreckage. The cells were destroyed beyond comprehension, but being surrounded by such destruction for what felt like years now, he felt as if he could figure enough out. These were high security cells. Some help they turned out to be...

Now they were destroyed. Asymmetrical, disorderly, unbalanced...

"Well done, little reaper, I'm impressed."

The familiar, venomous voice snapped him from his thoughts, and his eyes darted desperately to find the source. Sure enough, Nisha stepped from the shadows, a sway in her step and a smile on her face. The confidences, the slyness, it made Kid feel sick. She was a truly despicable and narcissistic being. One that now wore a sharp grin, baring her teeth like a predator would. And it seemed she had caught the scent of blood in the water.

"Not a bad effort." She continued, another figure walking close behind her. It only took Kid's fuzzy head a second to recognize it was Urban. "Not bad at all. But, as the son of the grim reaper, I shouldn't expect any less."

That was all he had to hear.

Oh yes, he'd never dealt with an enemy quite like Nisha. But he had encountered those who loved to bargain, to play games, to break rules.

"You said..." A chill ran through Kid, a terrible feeling of apprehension and dread. Oh no. Not good, at all. "You said you would give up your soul, Nisha. But you won't, will you?"

Even though he had just met her, there were a few obvious traits he could see she had. As clear as day and plain as snow, he could see where she was going with this. More games, more tricks, more twists and turns to bind his soul further.

If Kid didn't despise her so much, he would have been impressed.

Liz squeaked. "What? No! Liar!" He couldn't tell who she was talking to. Either way she was livid. After all, the whole event was stressful for her too. He couldn't forget that fact. Hell, for a first mission, everything that could have gone wrong, did. What a disaster. Even more so if this last obstacle proved too much.

Patty chose this moment to make her voice heard. Even in the reflecting silver of a pistol, he could clearly see her rosy cheeks reddening in anger, and it was as if her soft blonde hair ruffled. "Hey! You can't do that. It's cheating!" Even though her voice was like the huff of a child, she understood the situation well. And she was not happy. If the physical signs weren't enough, her soul told all.

Nisha flicked her hair over her shoulder, a tinge of seriousness betraying the mask she wore and causing her stare to burn. It was almost as if she was starting to... doubt herself, as impossible as it seemed. Maybe that wasn't the right word to describe the flare in her kishin wavelength, but all that mattered was that she was ready to move into real business. "That's cute." Her voice was graver. A snap of her fingers, and the device holding both Kid's blood and her own was in her hands. Urban seemed to be well disciplined. More proof that Nisha was running a bigger picture. "What a clever little deduction. Explain it."

Sighing, Kid hushed Liz before her mouth could even open, instead doing what was demanded of him. They had reached a stalemate anyway, and though things were moving too fast for him to fully understand, he knew enough. "You aren't going to offer your soul to me." A tinge of defeat was in his words. "I don't quite know why you would be so dishonest; you seemed the sort to stick to your own rules. You said so yourself. It seems you want the clock to wind down."

Liz could not bite her tongue anymore. This was all too much for her to keep up with. Even Patty was silenced, the insistent giggles neglecting to break the tension and leaving the air empty. "You..." The eldest Thompson quivered with anger. "I'll kill you. Kid will kill you. You're living on borrowed time now, and you know it." Something snapped, and her voice rose. "Why can't you just admit that you lost?"

The reaper was taken back by the outburst. Liz refused to keep silent now, refused to listen to his coaxing and spoke freely. And, in a confusing sort of way, he was proud of her. As much as it might be better if she would listen a bit more before speaking, she was standing up for something... good. It showed that she wasn't going to ever become anything like Nisha, never. This gave him hope. Hope, because, yes, she did have good in her and yes, she knew right from wrong. Maybe she was just too afraid to shed her bitterness because for so long it was all she had to keep herself alive...

Or, maybe Kid was getting a head of himself and all of that was nonsense. Perhaps he had lost one pint too many of blood.

Beside the point, now wasn't the time to focus on such things. The clock was winding down, the scales tipping, the sands dropping. He could hear his blood thumping in his ears. And his throat was like ice, the shudders running through him freezing his breath too.

There was nothing to do.

If neither of them died then they both would. And the panic welling in his chest at that thought was probably the most intense thing he had felt throughout this whole mission, including shocks and stabs.

"Tough luck, sweetheart," Nisha replied sharply. "This thing's got about a minute left on it. Then we both die. Kill yourself now, little death, and I let your girlies live." This wasn't as honeyed as she used to be. In fact, the soberness in her voice was almost terrifying.

And he had nothing to say to her.

Instead, he spoke to the sisters, the solemn edge in his voice almost as chilling as Nisha's. And his blood ran cold with every word forced past his lips. "Transform, girls." Giving them no chance to argue, he threw the pistols backwards, and a blinding flash of pink illuminated the area. Nisha's brow arched, but she said nothing, captivated by the bending and twisting of their forms into what was recognizably human. If she was impressed or surprised, she said nothing to show it.

All she whispered was a gentle "Forty five..."

Liz was the first to snap, reaching to grab Kid's shoulders. The panic in her blue eyes caused his chest to ache, and so he closed his own, only listening to the fear in her voice. "K-Kid, what are you doing?" Beginning to glow a gentle pink, she shook him lightly. She wanted him to wield her as a pistol – without words, that much was obvious – but he didn't move.

In a matter of moments, Patty, too, was back by his side – missing her usual jovial aura. "You could have killed her... Kid, you have to kill her. Otherwise..." Liz continued to plead. Tears of frustration began to stream down her cheeks, and she shook him harder, voice rising and breaking. "Kid, please! Why won't you talk to me! Do something..."

Nisha's voice again, quieter than before, a hiss to it. She was panicking too, even if it was clear she was desperate not to let it show. "Thirty..."

Biting his gum, hard, to distract himself from the sisters, he shook them off and stepped forward. "Trust me." It was all he spoke to them. It was all he could bare to say. Fists clenching at his sides, he only opened his eyes again to meet the intent stare Nisha wore, the sharp golden softening. Distantly, he heard both of the sisters yell, but the sound seemed far away. And as hard as it was, he didn't turn. No, he held his ground, and the world seemed to focus on the two of them, neither looking to try and end this. It was checkmate, but neither had won. Or rather, it was yet to be seen.

"I am not afraid of death," Nisha spat at him, her stare intense. "I am not afraid of you. If I have to die to bring you down, then so it shall be." Sucking in a breath, she seemed to become calmer as the count lowered, rolling her neck to crack to bone. But no other moves were made by either of them. "Fifteen..."

Liz was frantic, fallen to her knees, screaming at him until her throat was raw. Beating the ground with her fist, she ignored her sister's alarm at both her and Kid. "Bastard... you fucking bastard..." She spoke harshly to the cold, dusty ground. "How fucking could you!" Voice rising and falling, it was as if she refused to believe any of it was real, like if she shook her head enough she could wake up. Back on the streets of Brooklyn, a city glare in her eyes, and memories of a shinigami prince nothing but a nightmare.

But nothing changed, and she covered her eyes. Scrubbing desperately at her tears, she blocked her ears too. Not wanting to see, hear, or even believe in the inevitable.

"Five." The word was more still, even if the edge of insecurity was there.

"Four." Kid shuddered as the single word passed his lips. This was all he could do. The time he had left was not nearly enough to kill Nisha, and the agony his body was in would have meant challenging her was suicide. And there was no way he was rolling over and accepting his end. This was his only hope.

"Three..."

"Two."

"One."

A shrill scream filled the air.

* * *

**A/N: Do you want weekly updates again? Do you want me to continue? Than I sincerely advise you leave a review and tell me so!**


	15. Broken Crown

**A/N: Wow! I hit the big one hundred on reviews! That is amazing, I'm so glad so many of you are enjoying this fic. It means the world to me so many of you have taken the time to leave words of encouragement. You keep me going!**

**Now, I chose a different direction for this chapter than what you might had expected. I felt that the full impact on Liz from what happens would be shown more effectively if she were to reflect on it. Strictly storytelling wise, this probably wasn't the way I would've taken the chapter, but this fic is all about emotion. I wanted to write this in a way which would show what is happening to Liz as part of her transformation. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Broken Crown**

She remembers the way she had screamed well. The way it tore her throat, screeched against her ears, filled her tongue with the sour taste of blood. How afterwards she choked and coughed, gasped and sobbed in the bubble that had become her world. Everything else seemed not to exist for a moment. All that was and seemed to have ever been was the sharp ache in her soul. The unbearable pain, the weight, the sheer agony of it all. The cool and unforgiving concrete and brick underneath her, digging into her palms and knees only added to the harsh reality of it all. As much as she tried to convince herself this was all a bad dream – one of the nightmares which were almost as painful as the ones about Brooklyn – it was no use. Everything was simply too real not to believe.

How dare him. _How dare him_. What right did he have, she asks herself, to enter her life and turn it on its head? To offer such kind words and sweet offerings, for him to make everything better, like the prince she had denied existed – that did not exist; would never exist.

Because Liz Thompson, Devil of Brooklyn, did not need a prince. Nor did Patty. They were stronger than that, they could handle themselves. Well, enough to get by in the concrete prison they had called home for so long. This was different, however. Far beyond anything she had known. She thought they ruled the world, but it seemed she only knew her own place in it.

She remembers clutching her stomach, the urge to throw up almost overwhelming. The way her insides twisted into knots. The way she had to block everything out in fear that it would break her. It shook her down to the very core, as it was, here mere thoughts causing her to shake violently. The countdown had finished even though time seemed to stand still, and whatever was waiting for her when she looked up would be unpleasant. Because she knew, she knew that it would be the sharp look of glee in Nisha's eyes, or the cold unmoving body of her meister-

Was that another scream?

Yes, as she curls tighter under the covers, she can practically hear it ringing in her ears. It had been shrill and desperate, almost like her own. Not too long after she had sobbed out her own scream. But, it had confused her so thoroughly, as it was neither Patty's, nor Kid's, not even her own. Perhaps it was not so much a scream as a harsh yelp of surprise, like the moment when one discovers a surface is much hotter to the touch than to the eye.

That was when she found the courage to look up. No, it was not courage, but rather curiosity. It seems impossible thinking back now that she had ever been brave enough to face what possibly lay ahead of her.

In front of Liz, the area hadn't changed. As if time really had stopped. But that was the surprising thing; there was no cold body, no sight which she was sure would have torn her in two. Nothing which turned the pieces that were left of her from shards to dust. As if to check whether her eyes deceived her, she searched for his wavelength, uncaring of the way she was trying to keep her soul distanced from his. That didn't matter at all now. Not in the slightest. Like it was all that would keep her alive, she sought desperately for something, anything that would confirm he was really standing.

And there it was.

That thrum, the beat which seemed etched in her memory. That pulse which coursed through their veins, even if it was stuttered and broken. Their connection. His soul.

It was there.

Rubbing, digging at her eyes with her wrist, Liz gasped another short sob. "K-Kid..." She hiccupped, her bones melting until it felt like sitting up was an impossible effort.

As she tightens her grip on the thick duvet at the memory, she runs through this moment plenty of times. The way the slip of her guard and the uttering of his name seemed to send shockwaves rocking through her, breaking her down and holding her up at the same time. And then his eyes. There is no way she will ever forget the way he glanced back to her. Not only through his soul, but through those piercing golden orbs do all of his emotions seem to run like water into her. And likewise, hers do him. The connection in that moment was like the sharp snap of fingers, in the same way an almost soothing hum, and it seemed unbreakable. One tie made that seals them forever.

Liz would only be lying to herself if she thought things could change. That after this she could simply leave him, scraping together as much money as she could in the process in some filthy, false 'revenge.' Against what exactly, not even she could be sure. Up until now, she thought it was her right to take what she needed from him. And no one should question otherwise. After all, he was a rich god who wouldn't miss a few thousand dollars. The sisters needed it more than he did. But the look in those eyes, two-toned amber seeming to be all she knew and had ever known.

But the moment was painfully short, the tenderness she saw in him melting back to the attention in combat. Also, a slight satisfaction that makes her want to both slap him and laugh. Or is it relief? Whatever it is, it filled her with a bravery that he had gifted to her. And although it was weak, and she still feels like the world is trying to suffocate her, it's enough.

As sudden as the crack of lightning, Nisha's voice cut through the air. "How can this be?" Her confusion was almost comfort.

Pushing her face deeper into the sweet-smelling pillow, Liz remembers how much weaker the demon knife seemed when she was confused. Unable to control the situation. Through means she didn't understand, Kid had been able to twist things in his favour.

Mad. Totally and utterly mad.

But brilliant all the same.

"I have read much on this Enchantress. Apparently, more than you. There was a reason this was her favourite artefact. Titania created them when she fell in love. One who sided with Lord Death, I believe. Though, of course, she didn't know this. He tore her heart to pieces when he ruined her artefacts, and she used her last moments before he took the rest of her magic to kill him, too. They died together, love smothered by their loathing. You should have known, Nisha. I have doubts, but I don't think any of her surviving works would still be effective."

His words echo like a prayer in her head, every one sings in his voice through her ears. As if he says it again, whispering to her as she turns restlessly. The explanation that had Nisha's eyes widening in realization and horror. The words which turn such a clear memory into almost a blur. Ones she didn't understand and thought she may never be able to wrap her head around. Even so, they were enough to save his life, and in turn hers as well as Patty's.

Patty. Kid said he would keep both of them alive, and he kept his promise. Because of him, she still had her sister's wavelength to grip to, the almost youthful innocence a soothing comfort.

Suddenly, a clang broke the air, as the artefact is dropped like trash. Blood spills over the dusty, cracked ground, and her stomach turns again. That sickening crimson was a colour she had come to despise. Swallowing hard, she remembers just trying to breathe, to absorb exactly what had just happened, to try and just believe it all. It seems impossible. But then, everything that had happened since she aimed her sister's pistol form at that bastard was.

And then a second thud as Kid fell to his knees, his exhaustion finally winning his body over, shoulders falling slack in his torn jacket. This was when she yelled to him again. Patty was already sprinting to his side, concern etched awkwardly on her usual bubbly features. The younger sister puts an arm around him. Takes most of his weight. And as Liz watched on, she felt her bones turn to ice, moving at all beyond her. It's like a glass jar had been put over her, and all she could do was look out to what is happening in front of her. She had no control, but she somehow felt safe. The feeling was foreign and at first she wasn't sure if she liked it. Especially because the simple thought of joining Kid and Patty was enough for her limbs to turn to lead.

Nisha spoke, for the last time. These words, too, are etched in her mind, but far more unpleasantly. Like a deep scar, marring flawless skin. A curse from some old, forgotten language passed those vicious lips first, before something she knows she can make sense of. "You will not survive your injuries, little Reaper. And I am not feeling merciful. Bleed out here, die like a dog. I will not allow you to have a painless death." Although she was shaken, she clearly did all she could to look calm. And for the most part, she succeeded. "I have won. You may have proven fault in Titania's device, but even without its function, you are as good as dead."

Everything from then on is a blur. A blur of yells to transform, blades and blood, a brief struggle that is short-lived. But the next memory which does not fall like smoke through her fingers is shaking Kid, watching those golden eyes grow dull. Her own filled with tears and all she wanted was for him to _just wake up._

This is when she chokes down a sob, mindful of Patty so close to her, sleeping soundly. The younger Thompson has an air of calm that usually kept her calm, but now it doesn't seem enough. Whenever she closes her eyes, she sees Kid, broken and weak on the cold prison floor. She sees Nisha leaving in some sort of false dignity, and Urban giving the reaper a harsh kick as he follows. They were such dirty, horrible, disgusting people. Growing up where she had, she had known plenty of repulsive souls. But none could stand where they did. Patty swiped almost as a cat would, but grief seemed to suck away all her usual ferocity. When Liz opens her eyes, she is surrounded by the suffocating darkness of the bedroom. The memories of the day previous are choking her. And she can't decide which reality is worse.

Either way, the feeling of his soul slipping away from her for the first time is still there, eyes open or shut.

No. She cannot take this torment anymore. This pain in her head is too much to bare, the soft blankets against her skin like gravel and sand. It itches, burns even, and if she were to stay underneath them a second longer she thinks she might scream.

Elbow digging into the mattress, she sits up. A parting dab of her lips against the younger Thompson's forehead the only goodbye to her sister. Here, Patty is safe. Unlike in the streets of Brooklyn. All because of Kid, she is _safe_. That thought is the one weighing heaviest on her mind as she stands. And by the way she sways it's almost as though it weighs her body down, too. In fact, she feels as if her very soul carries huge weight, one she simply cannot shake away. And Death, it _hurts_.

In only half thoughts, she slips out of her bedroom door, wiping away the dots of tears on her cheeks with the back of her hand. Liz has always hated the dark. But now, in the emptiness the manor offers without the swell of his soul, it doesn't seem to matter. None of it does. All that matters to her in that moment is that she needs to see him. He has kept her alive all this time, maybe he could get her through this, too. After all, the bastard was the one who had gotten her into all this in the first place.

A dry and humourless chuckle passes soft lips as she thinks of how badly she needs at cigarette.

In the rush of being with Kid, starting this new life, the high hadn't been needed. The stress relief, definitely, but it hadn't been as though she'd had the chance to buy something. And the thought of the young Reaper's disappointment if she did was enough to discourage the consideration of a purchase now. The boy that had risked his life for her.

A quiet sob squeezes her lungs and a fat tear drips from her chin.

Scrubbing at her face, she slips on a pair of flats, barely conscious of the movement. A jacket is shrugged over her shoulders too. There will be no one around at this time, whatever it happens to be. And the moon's jeering grin isn't exactly caring of her fashion sense. Clutching the door handle like a lifeline, she takes a few paced, careful breaths, before facing the chilled night air.

As strong as this Devil is, even though she is a demon weapon, the pain she feels is enough to cripple her. All she knows is that she needs to see those _stupid_ golden eyes and _stupid_ stripes now more than ever.

**I want to thank my wonderful beta for helping out with the tenses in this. You do an excellent job darling, and I am so grateful.**

**I'm trying my best to update, and every word of encouragement helps!**


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